Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young
by Odd-Tiger
Summary: She went four years without him, hoping he would come back home. When he finally returns, what will happen between them when she learns he's changed beyond repair? Will he love her again? He already has her heart, so what is a girl to do when her best friend isn't who he should be? NaruSaku, ShikaIno, KibaHina.
1. Chapter 1: It Can't Be

**Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter 1**

 _Four years ago…_

 _The streets were quiet, lacking the normal hustle and bustle that roamed them, and were paved in thick white. The air was frigid, the sky was a dark ominous gray but offered no rain, and smoke rose from many roof tops indicating who had a lit fire. Large flakes floated down to earth, adding on to the already quilted ground of snow. It had been a while since the last time it snowed over the village, and especially this much. Those who've been there the longest and saw the last snowfall were not that surprised to see it, but those who had not seen snow before were aw stricken. It was a Winter's day, in a cold December, when he left the very place he vowed to protect._

 _Said figure was walking slowly towards Konoha's gates, a bag of essentials slumped over his shoulder held by one hand, with the other shoved in his pocket. Those normally bright, warm, friendly cerulean blue eyes of his were dull, cold, and lost. The darkness under his eyes said he had not slept well, or even at all, for at least a week. The familiar spikey blonde hair shadowed his face as he watched the ground during his slow trek towards what could potentially be the last time he passed through those large gate doors. He couldn't stand being around that raven-haired bastard if it meant he'd lose the one thing he had always been fighting for._

 _That's right. The legendary last of the Uchiha Clan had returned, after his teammates had fought so hard to bring him back home, he had come back on his own. But he was still the stoic Sasuke they all knew from before, but perhaps a little colder than those times. He had no interest in his kunoichi teammate, but it was her that his blonde comrade was trying to bring him back for, so she would be happy. But the truth was the blonde loved the girl as much as the girl loved the Uchiha, and Sasuke knew it well. But the fear of losing said kunoichi's attention to the raven-haired snake was too much for the blonde to bare, so to save him the pain and her having to choose between them, he was leaving the village behind._

" _Big brother Naruto!", called a voice of about thirteen years old, followed by the crunching of snow underneath a running pair of feet towards the blonde, who looked back over his shoulder at the sound of his name being called. "Where are you going?!", asked the great honored grandson of late Lord Third, Konohamaru Sarutobi._

" _Konohamaru…", the blonde said, breathing out a sigh that turned to a cloud of steam in the frigid air, and he turned to face the genin. "What are you doing here?", came the question._

" _Are you…Leaving, Naruto?", Konohamaru asked shakily, noticing the bag, and the dull cold look in the older ninja's eyes, the frown on his face. Why would Naruto leave? He never had any reason to, since he himself had promised he'd protect the village no matter the cost, even if it were his life._

"…" _, Naruto was silent, and his lack of immediate response confirmed Konohamaru's assumption._

" _You ARE leaving! Why?!", yelled the genin, a glare of anger towards his blonde superior, but his tears betrayed his expression and flooded over his eyes down his cheeks turned red from the cold, teeth gritted._

" _You wouldn't understand", came Naruto's cold answer, while he returned the glare, only his was tearless. "I can't stand to be here. Since Sasuke's been back I…", he stopped, leaving the genin curious. "I must leave. If I don't then everyone would be in danger because of me, so I'm leaving to prevent that! At least that way, I'm still protecting the village!", he said._

" _But…", Konohamaru was about to protest, but the blonde had moved towards him until he was directly in front of him, and he felt the older ninja's hand rest on top of his head._

" _I might come back, later down the road, but for right now…I can't stay", Naruto said softly, the look in his eyes reflecting the sound of his voice, with a slight although small smile on his face._

" _You promise?", the genin looked up at the blonde with his tear filled eyes, expression saddened. But Naruto didn't answer right away, so he repeated himself. "Promise?!", he said more loudly and impatiently._

"… _Promise", Naruto nodded, removing his hand from Konohamaru's hair, and turned to continue onward, but the genin grabbed him by the sleeve._

" _Pinkie swear?!", the genin demanded, holding out his pinkie to make the cross that would swear the promise to be upheld regardless, or else be broken to shame._

 _But the blonde held out his pinkie and hooked it with the genin's, swearing the promise be true. "You can count on it", again he spoke in that soft tone, expression to match. He broke away and continued onward, leaving a sobbing Konohamaru behind._

" _You better come back big brother!", he said to Naruto just as the blonde passed through the gates, sobbing like a five year old child, watching the one person he had looked up to most leave into the growing blizzard. The blonde's foot prints were slowly being covered, as if he had never really been there, and Konohamaru only imagined the whole thing. The genin stood there until Naruto disappeared into the distance and he couldn't see the blonde anymore._

 _The blonde didn't look back but he heard Konohamaru, and just one tear escaped down his face, and into the snow._

 _Four years now…_

"Come on Sakura, lighten up! We're here to have fun right?", asked a platinum blonde-haired kunoichi to a cherry pink-haired kunoichi.

"Cut it out Ino! I know! It's just…Today is the mark of exactly four years since he left and-", spoke Sakura to her friend, but at the same time her rival in many things, and had been cut off.

"I know you miss him Sakura, but he left on his own, he's been marked rogue and you know it! He had no reason to leave but he did anyway!", Ino told her.

"You don't know the real story Ino-pig! He left me a note explaining why! So just drop it already!", snapped Sakura, shutting up the platinum blonde.

"Why don't we go to the bar side, let her cool off her jets. She's upset enough with what today is", Shikamaru whispered to Ino in her ear so that Sakura, who wasn't really paying attention anyway, wouldn't hear.

"Fine", Ino whispered back, and the two got up and walked away to the bar side of the restaurant, leaving a distant Sakura to fiddle with a crystal the color of her hair hanging around her neck, given to her as a gift from her favorite blonde idiot she so dearly missed. He had told her that the crystal was connected to his, so that each of them would be able to feel the other's chakra no matter the inches, feet, yards or miles between. But she has not been able to feel his chakra since that day.

" _Naruto…_ ", she thought, remembering him only by the last time she saw him. It never occurred to her till after reading the note that he was acting strange, especially when the two of them were with Sasuke. The dullness in his eyes, the coldness in his gaze and the frown, and his lack of hyperactiveness. They were all signs, signs she didn't realize until now.

No. Signs she chose to ignore, and chalk up to it being near the holidays which, Naruto never really celebrated, for reasons. She felt guilt, like it was her fault. But the blonde knew well the feelings she had for Sasuke, which was one of his reasons for wanting to bring him back, and the note made him sound like he didn't want to get in her way of that. She never really could decide who she loved though. Her childhood crush had always been Sasuke, but she began to have doubts when he ran off to Orochimaru. Naruto became her light, always standing by her side, and fighting to protect her. She couldn't decide who, until she knew he was long gone. You never know how good something is until it's as good as gone, and that was him. She loved him.

"Well Heeeelllo there beautifuullllllll!", Sakura was brought back from her thoughts at the sound of a slurred voice, and she looked up to see two men approaching her, beer bottles in hand. It was clear they were drunk.

One whistled at her, while the other winked with a smile. "So whats a fiiiiine beauty like yourself doin' here allllllll alone?", asked the first one as they sat at the otherwise empty table, save for Sakura herself.

Sakura made no answer, growing annoyed quickly, tucking her hair behind her ear while trying to ignore them, but they only got closer as they sat on either side of her.

"Awww. Whats the matter beautiful? Cat gotchur tongue?", asked the second as he put an arm around her, making her feel so humiliated.

"She's out of your league", came a third voice, sounding stronger and deeper than the two mens' own. They and Sakura jumped when a man of about 6'2" approached, arms crossed. The three scars on his face from the right side to the left showed he had to of been a ninja, or else a member of an outsider group. There was no headband to prove he was a ninja.

"So I suggest, leave her alone", the stranger spoke again, giving them a cold glare of ice. If looks could kill, these men would have been dead the first time this stranger had spoken.

The two men jumped up from their seats, but not to run. "Sssaaaayys whoooooo?", asked the first, struggling to even stand straight, while the second leaned on him. But the stranger, who was standing in front of them, was suddenly behind them in the blink of an eye, kunai in hand.

"Says a very unpredictable ninja who'll kick your ass into next week", came his growl, sending shivers down the two mens' spines as they froze with fear. A second more and they walked away quickly, running into people and objects in their drunken state, forgetting all about their flirting with Sakura.

"Well then…", shrugged the stranger with a slight chuckle. "Other than that, did I miss anything?", he asked as he turned to her with a nonchalant manner, but when he did she was right there ready to strike him with a beer bottle left behind by the other two men. He reacted quickly, and grabbed it before it could hit him, but she countered by ramming her fist into his jaw. Her medical ninjutsu training had always paid off, increasing her strength ten fold like Tsunade's, and this in the long run helped her knock the stranger down.

"God damn, I should'a seen that one coming…", she heard him grumble in his dazed state, as he rubbed his jaw that now ached. "Your strength is as it's always been, that actually hurt a little", he said, standing to his feet, his height towering hers. "I'm not surprised", he said. Something about him seemed so familiar, but she couldn't quite place her finger on it.

"Who the fuck are-", she was about to ask, but what she wasn't expecting was for Shikamaru to come in and pin the stranger against the wall with a kunai to his throat.

"Sakura!", she heard Ino scream. "Are you ok? Who is this guy? Did he hurt you? What happened?", the platinum blonde asked without giving Sakura a chance to answer each question at a time.

"Ino calm down! I'm fine! Just a little flustered is all. And no, he didn't hurt me, as a matter of fact he scared away these other two men who were flirting with me. But I wasn't about to take my chances, he could have been here to do the same, so I punched him", Sakura explained with an annoyed look, crossing her arms. Both her and Ino looked towards Shikamaru and the stranger. However, even though there was a kunai held to his throat, he was eerily calm, as if Shikamaru wasn't even a threat.

"I've not seen you around here before, but judging by your appearance I'd say you're a ninja, and no headband would mean a rogue one. We don't welcome rogue ninja here", said Shikamaru with a glare.

"Really? Then what about that Sasuke Uchiha? He was marked for rogue wasn't he? And Tsunade let him back in to the village", said the stranger with a bit of a smirk, which caught Shikamaru off guard.

" _How does he…?_ ", thought the Nara genius. "Sasuke came back on his own, and because of that he was made an exception. We only kill rogues if we have to hunt them down", he said.

"Well you didn't have to hunt me down, did you? What if I was just trying to do the same?", asked the stranger, and this shocked Sakura and Ino too, not just the Nara.

"Wait, Shikamaru", Sakura said, walking up to the two ninja, and Shikamaru stepped away as told, but still kept his guard up in case this stranger tried anything. The stranger remained against the wall as Sakura got closer to him, looking him straight in the eye. Wait, his eyes, they were blue. Cerulean blue. His hair, it was blonde and spikey, a little ragged and wild though. And there she saw them. Those trademark whiskers of his on both of his cheeks. The only thing different was the three scars he bared. It couldn't be.

"N-Naru…to…", she could hardly breathe his name. After four years, four long years of agonizing loss and guilt eating her alive, he was finally here in front of her own wide eyes. "Y-you've…", her mind was spinning. How could it be that he was suddenly here, talking to her, after being gone for so long without a single trace? She felt dizzy, faint, and sick to her stomach. She began to lose her balance and fall over.

"Whoa, Sakura!", he said. Shikamaru would of caught her, but he was there to catch her first.

"I…I don't feel so…", she said, her vision blurring and head hurting from all the spinning the room seemed to do. She fainted in his arms, and he looked up at Shikamaru and Ino, who didn't quite catch Sakura saying his name, so were still clueless as to who he was.

"We better get her to Lady Tsunade", he said, and rushed off out of the building carrying Sakura, with the two following close behind because they didn't trust him. Luckily they weren't too far from the hospital which was just down the road.

They hurried inside the medical building, greeted by nurses who took them to a room, and he rested her gently onto the open bed, then stepped aside to allow the nurses to do their job.

"I'm going to get Tsunade, you stay here and watch him", Ino said secretly to Shikamaru, then left to find the head medical ninja who was also Konoha's Hokage. Naruto only waited patiently.

It had been three hours before Sakura woke up, but she still felt dizzy still and the bright light shining directly into her eyes hurt her head. She saw two figures, silhouetted by the light, standing over her and looking down at her. One she recognized to be Tsunade.

"Are you alright, Sakura?", asked the Hokage.

"Where am I…?", Sakura asked, looking around the room.

"You're in the hospital. You fainted", spoke the second figure she saw, and when her eyes adjusted to the light she began to see clear features. It was him. He was standing there next to her bed. Her right hand felt oddly warmer than her left, and she realized when something ran over the top of it that he was holding it in his hand, and he had ran his thumb over hers.

"Is that…You? N-Naru…to?", she asked, her feeling of shock from before returning as her eyes widened again.

"It's me Sakura. I've come home".


	2. Chapter 2: Where have you been?

**Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter 2**

"It's me Sakura. I've come home", smiled a little the blonde, but that smile wasn't as genuine as it used to be. It was almost as if he was forcing it, and Sakura wasn't one to miss that little detail. But at this point in time, she didn't care, she was just happy to see him.

"Naruto!", she sat up quickly as she cried, wrapping her arms around him tightly and burying her face into his shoulder, letting the tears that had built up during his four year absence finally spill.

He had been expecting this, but it still surprised him a little. Her hold on him was strong, so he couldn't exactly break away without a struggle or having to use the jutsu that gave his father the name of Yellow Flash, but he didn't want to upset her.

"I've missed you!", he heard the kunoichi say through her tears, and it made his heart ache to hear that and realize just how much he had actually hurt her by leaving.

"I've missed you too, Sakura", he said lowly, but his voice wasn't its usual warmth, another detail Sakura caught on to and made a note of in her head.

" _What's wrong with him? What happened to my Naruto?_ ", she thought to herself, wondering why he was acting this way. And those scars, she was curious where they came from. What happened to him over these four years?

"I hope you realize that trying to get you removed from the rogue list will be as complicated as it was trying to do the same for Sasuke, right?", Tsunade interrupted their little moment, her tone serious and her arms crossed. "The council is stubborn, and it took them a little to accept Sasuke, but they've always disliked you for you-know-why".

"I'm aware, and I'm sure they were tempted to put a bounty on my head to make me a wanted man, but so far yet I've not run into any hunters that were looking for me", Naruto said once Sakura let him go, with an emotionless expression, but his tone was laced with coldness, as if by nature. This was beginning to make Sakura feel uneasy.

" _Naruto…_ ", she thought as she stared at him, realizing the change in his personality, not just his appearance. Was he sick? Only when he was sick did he not act himself, and she would know because she'd be the one to watch over him, but this…No, this was different.

"Oh they were tempted alright, but I wouldn't let them. However, as much as I protested that we not send hunters out to kill you, they respected my choice at a heavy cost. Naruto if you leave again, no matter the reason, you will be wanted. And the council won't hesitate to put a bounty on you this time", Tsunade said, still serious.

"You are staying, aren't you?", asked a voice that suddenly sounded frail, and both the blonde and Hokage looked down at Sakura who was the source. "Didn't you come back to stay?", she asked him.

"…", no answer, he only looked away from her. She held her breath, hoping he'd say yes. To see him leave again would shatter her already broken heart. She wanted him to stay, she needed him in her life, otherwise it just wasn't the same.

" _ **She's waiting for your answer, kit**_ ", said the fox that was sealed within the blonde, though only Naruto could hear him, because it was in his own head. " _ **Don't tell me you've come all this way just to leave again? I thought you missed home?**_ ".

" _I did miss home, and I thought I could return no problem, but now I'm beginning to have my doubts. What if it all goes wrong?_ ", Naruto spoke back to the fox in thought.

" _ **Well brat it's too late to turn back, you're here now and she's seen you, and letting you go again would undeniably hurt her. You don't want to do that, do you?**_ ", unfortunately the demon was right. For Naruto, leaving the first time was hard to deal with because he didn't know when he'd be able to see Sakura again, if ever at all.

" _You've got a point there, Kurama…_ ", he thought, but his attention was drawn away from the fox when he heard a shaky voice of fear say his name.

"Naruto?", Sakura spoke, tears beginning to brim her eyes again as she still stared at him, still waiting for his answer.

"I'm staying", he said, and he couldn't explain the happiness that made Sakura's face light up like a Christmas tree, the feeling that he had at being the cause of it. That familiar feeling he remembered burying deep within him long ago, it was beginning to resurface, and it made him smile, but this time that smile was genuine, the first time in four years he had smiled like that.

"You can check out in a couple more hours", Sakura heard Tsunade say towards her. "In the meantime, I'd like to speak with Naruto alone of his whereabouts these last four years, on my own behalf. I'll need to know if I'm to fight against the council for keeping him", said the Hokage, and she left the room to her office in the Hokage monument building, just next door to the hospital.

Naruto nodded, knowing he'd have to explain sooner or later, and looked down at Sakura. "I'll come back once she's done with me", he told her, that same coldness returning to his voice and his face, but it wasn't a coldness due to a grudge or hatred. He was just…Absent.

He left the room, so that she was alone. Shikamaru and Ino had long since gone home, so she had nobody to talk to, or so she thought.

"So, the blonde idiot's come back, I see", she heard that stoic voice of steel, and looked over to see that raven-haired snake, standing in the corner. When he arrived, or even how, she didn't know. It had taken a while to warm up to Sasuke again, and eventually she had, but at times like now it still felt uncomfortable to be around him.

"Yes he has, and I'm glad, I missed him too much…", Sakura told him, watching the door she saw said ninja walk out of after the Hokage.

"You think he'll stay?", asked Sasuke, eyes closed with one hand on his hip, and the other nonchalantly resting on the hilt of his katana strapped to his side.

"I had doubts you even would, but I didn't give up on that hope, so I won't give up on him. I believe in him", Sakura shook her head and shot a small glare towards the Uchiha.

"Fine. But don't be so gullible", Sasuke opened his onyx eyes and looked at her with his usual stoic face, and before she could say another word he disappeared in a plume of smoke, so she sighed in annoyance and layed back down to rest.

" _I'm not gullible_ ", she thought. " _I'm just hopeful_ ". And with that in mind, she fell into a peaceful sleep, it had been a long and eventful night. First a long day at work, and then offered to go out for some fun with Ino and her date Shikamaru, then a confrontation with Naruto whom she'd hoped would return but thought she'd never see again, and now here in the hospital thanks to her friends who cared. Perhaps things would begin to turn around for the best, and her life wouldn't be so upside down without her favorite blonde unpredictable hyperactive knucklehead _lovable_ ninja. It was indeed, a hopeful thought.

Back at the Hokage's headquarters, in Lady Tsunade's office, Naruto sat in front of her desk waiting to be questioned. He was again showing that eerie calmness from when Shikamaru had him pinned before. Tsunade found this to be a little odd for the blonde loudmouth she knew in him, because normally by this time he'd be antsy and unable to sit still, complaining about why he had to sit there to be asked, as he would put it, stupid questions. But this time he waited, and didn't speak until he was spoken to.

"Where were you these four years, brat? And why didn't you return sooner? Tell me everything you know", Tsunade posed, crossing her arms as she leaned back into her chair and gave him a stern gaze as she waited, half expecting him to whine about it, but he only breathed out a sigh as he closed his eyes to think of where to start.

"I was staying with someone who was from the Leaf himself", he began. "He trained me in the way of the ANBU. I didn't come back sooner because…I just wasn't ready to".

"Sakura showed to me the note you left her. Was it really because you were afraid of losing her to Sasuke?", Tsunade asked.

"Yes. As much as I was ready to support her one hundred percent, baring even the thought of such a thing was something I couldn't handle, and because of that I was letting my emotions get the better of me, which was making me more vulnerable to the fox's chakra. In that kind of state of mind, I was a danger to the village, so I had to leave", Naruto answered.

"I see…And this person you spent your time with, who was he?", the Hokage poked.

"His name was Setsu Hashima, an EX-ninja of Konoha. He had left the village seventeen years ago. ANBU was his last known rank", explained the blonde. "The day I left was a cold one, the last one I saw was Konohamaru, who watched me walk out of those gates. It had already been snowing when a storm blew in, and I had already gotten as far as passed the river, but that's about all I remember. Setsu told me he found me just half alive in the snow, so he built camp and set me in front of a fire to warm me up. At first I didn't trust him, after all he was a rogue, but he explained to me his story and that if he were to do harm, he would of done it when I couldn't defend myself. From that point I learned to call him sensei, and he taught me what he learned in ANBU, including how to bury my emotions so that I could better control when the fox's chakra takes me over. He was a lot like Jiraiya Sensei", Naruto said.

"Interesting. Do you still plan to become Hokage?", Tsunade raised a brow at him as she leaned forward and rested her elbows on the desk.

"I left that dream behind a long time ago…", Naruto sighed, looking away. "Things have changed. I'm different now. I gave up on becoming Hokage the moment I set foot outside Konoha four years from today. I didn't know if I'd actually come back, so at the time I thought it was pointless to still believe in that dream, if I wasn't here to fight for it".

"I was afraid of that", Tsunade let out her own sigh, shaking her head slowly, earning back the blonde's attentive gaze. "Sasuke has begun to compete for the rank of Hokage, but I'm afraid he's just not right for it, he doesn't have the same kind of compassion as you do. Shikamaru on the other hand, he's perfect with his genius thinking, but he's just too damn lazy to take on such a task, and he'd rather it not get in the way of his relationship with Ino to the point of neglect towards her", she explained.

"I understand", Naruto nodded.

"There's also Kakashi, but he's not as young, so he wouldn't serve as long. He seemed more interested in becoming ANBU again, given that's where Sasuke is and Sakura's working at the hospital where her medical skills prove valuable. Konohamaru is still too young, so it'd be a while yet before he's eligible for the role. None of the other Rookie Nine think they're fit enough for it either, Choji and Shino are helping out at the Academy with Iruka, Kiba is working to become a jonin so he can be eligible to mentor his own team, and he and Hinata are already expecting their first child", Tsunade told him.

"What about Neji, Lee, and Tenten?", Naruto asked a bit curiously.

"They are already out in an ANBU team, and they've already told me they didn't want to take it from you, especially Lee. Like Sakura, they had hope you'd return, and figured you'd want the spot, so they left it for you", Tsunade said, getting up and walking over to the window, seeing it was beginning to snow, which it hasn't for at least two winters prior.

"I see…" the blonde trailed as his gaze turned away again. He expected Sakura to be hopeful, but he didn't think his other friends would rely so much on his return as well.

"I fear the worst for the village if Sasuke takes the rank. Like I said before, he's just not compassionate, he wouldn't be as open to what the people want and their benefits like you would be. Your interest was the people, and bringing peace, Sasuke doesn't show that. He likely wants it so that he can restore his clan without any much hassle", Tsunade said, watching the floating white flakes fall.

Naruto was silent this time, as he looked up at Tsunade, and stood up to walk over to her side looking outside the window at the village that was soon to be covered in yet another quilt of snow this year. The two watched for another moment's silence, before one of them spoke again.

"What do I need to do for it?", asked Naruto, but kept his gaze on what he saw outside the window.

"Not much is needed to be done. In order to be eligible to become Hokage, you must have at least earned jonin rank and have been trained in the ANBU for at least a year. Then it's only a matter of how worthy you prove yourself to be, and I choose from there who is to be my successor", Tsunade told him, looking at the blonde that stood taller than her. She remembered when he was still shorter than she was, when he was sixteen. " _You've really grown, haven't you kid? Twenty years old and already you're as tall if not taller than Lord Fourth was. You're a lot like Minato, no matter how much you've changed_ ", she thought.

"But I've not technically been named jonin, and my training in ANBU would be listed as invalid by the system of the village", Naruto pointed out, bringing Tsunade out of her thoughts.

"That may be true, but if I reinstate you as a ninja now, I could legally rank you as jonin if I pulled a few strings. As for your ANBU training, I can enlist you into the program and have you take your first year, or test what you know and if you pass, you'll automatically earn the status. Sound like a deal?", the Hokage asked, smiling at him and sitting down back at her desk.

Naruto gave it thought, knowing very well that her offer meant cheating, which he was usually against. However, if he were to take the long way around, Sasuke could easily surpass him and be named first. And there was no way the Uchiha would give up the title so easily if he were to request it. So he had no choice, if he was to beat the raven-haired bastard to it.

"Deal", he nodded, turning to shake her hand on it.

"Good. I'll file your papers and have a headband ordered for you by tomorrow. I now reinstate you as a jonin ninja of Konoha, and by agreeing to this you must vow to protect your village at all costs, even if it's your life", Tsunade told him with a nod.

"I swear my oath to that vow. But don't worry about the headband", Naruto said, which confused the Hokage. By law a ninja needed a headband to even be a real ninja. "Because I still have mine", he said as he pulled a long black piece of cloth with a metal plate attached and a Leaf insignia engraved in it from his pocket, holding it up to show her. "It's a little beaten down though, worn and torn by time. These last few years have not been kind to it, but it'll due", he said as he looked down at the thing, running his thumb over the scratched cracked plate, which meant he still cherished it.

"You kept it even after these years?", Tsunade asked, looking from the headband to the blonde.

"It was the one thing of Konoha I couldn't let go of", Naruto nodded.

"I know you're an unpredictable one but sometimes kid", Tsunade chuckled, standing up with some papers in her hand. "You really surprise me", she smiled him, and then waved her hand. "You're dismissed".

Naruto nodded with a smile of his own, and headed for the door, as he tied his headband around his head, suddenly realizing how much he had actually missed the feeling of wearing it to show his pride as a Leaf ninja. "Thank you, Lady Tsunade", he said to her over his shoulder, just before he walked out of her office.

It pained Tsunade a little when he didn't call her grandma like he used to. " _I didn't think you'd actually mature this much brat. Sadly I kind of miss the old you_ ".


	3. Chapter 3: The New Naruto

**Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter 3**

Sakura woke to the morning. Her room was dimmed in shadow, someone had closed the blinds to eliminate the light flowing through the window from the outside, and the bright light she woke up to the first time was turned off. She looked around the room, as if she was trying to find something, or rather someone. Empy, to her dismay.

She heard a knock on the door, and it was a specific knock that she knew wasn't Tsunade's, only one person could knock like that.

"Come in, Naruto", she said loud enough for the person on the outside to hear, and there the blonde was, poking his head into the room and looking right at her.

"How are you feeling?", he asked her lightly, stepping in and closing the door quietly behind him.

"Like a vampire, with how dark it is in here", she tried joking, laughing at it herself, but all she got out of him was a single half-hearted chuckle, and that disappointed her.

"I didn't want anything to disturb you while you slept, so I came in last night after talking with Tsunade to make sure of that, and just waited outside your door for you to wake", Naruto said, opening the blinds to light up the room, and everything outside looked white with the snow that was still falling.

"How did you know I was awake?", Sakura asked him, sitting up with a stretch and a yawn.

"The crystal told me. I felt your chakra spike", the blonde said, pulling up a chair and sitting in it next to her bed.

"O-oh…", she said, feeling a little sheepish at that, and looked up at the window, eyes narrowing a little before adjusting to the whiteness outside. She sat there silently without a word, staring into space.

"What's wrong?", he asked, breaking that silence, and when she looked back at him she saw that dull empty coldness in his cerulean eyes that she didn't like, and his expression was no better.

"It…It's nothing", she shrugged it off with a chuckle and a smile, but looked down at her hands in her lap. " _Is he still good at detecting lies?..."_ , she asked herself in thought.

"Don't try lying to me Sakura, I already know when you're not telling the truth", Naruto said, leaning a little closer to her.

" _Damn_ ", she thought. "Really, I'm fine", she looked back up at him, still holding her smile, but the corners of her lips furrowed, betraying her.

"Something's up. You know you can tell me anything still. Just because it's been a while doesn't mean I won't still listen", he said, lightening up his mood a little to that she didn't feel awkward.

"Well it's just…", Sakura had a hard time trying to spit it out, so she looked down again, afraid of his reaction. "You're not the same Naruto from before. You're different, distant, and…", she was trying not to cry, making her visibly shake.

"And?", Naruto encouraged her to continue, taking one of her hands in his softly, and waiting patiently.

"Cold", finally she said it, and let the tears go, squeezing his hand tightly without trying to break it. "You're not the Naruto I knew four years ago", she said. " _Or the Naruto I fell in love with_ ", she thought to herself, feeling it too soon to admit such a thing.

"I know", came his answer, which surprised her and she looked up, meeting with his steady gaze, trying to stop the sobs that were soon to come.

"People change Sakura, for better and for worse. I know I'm not that same guy you last saw, and to be honest, I don't think I ever will be from now on. That me you knew is long gone. He died and this me took over, and I've been like this for almost all four of the years I've been away. I buried my emotions, I matured, so I'm not a hyperactive knucklehead loudmouth anymore", he explained.

She sobbed, as much as she couldn't stop it from happening. "I was hoping you'd be a little different when you came back, but not like this", she said shakily.

"Come on Sakura, don't cry. I still can't stand to see you cry", he said, showing a bit of a saddened frown, which since it was an emotion he was fighting hard not to.

"But I missed you! I missed your laugh, your smile, your warm gaze. I missed everything about you! And I was hoping to see it all again someday! Now that you're finally here I see none of that!", Sakura bawled, taking her hand away from his grasp and putting both of them to her face, leaning forward.

Feeling bad, the blonde moved to sit on her bed and wrapped his arms around her gently, bringing her into an embrace to try and comfort her, in which she cried in his chest. "I'm sorry…", he whispered.

She tried to stop her crying and wiped her tears away, knowing she must look like a total idiot right now, but she didn't give a damn.

"What do you say, we get you checked out of here and, head on down to Ichiraku's? My treat", he asked, looking down at her and lifting her chin up so that she was looking at him, his gaze soft with a slight sideways smile.

"I-I'd like that…", she nodded with a sniffle, and tucked her messy hair behind her ears.

"Ok. I'll wait for you outside the door, you go ahead and get changed and whatnot, take your time", he said, giving her another hug and then standing up, handing her her folded clothes, and then heading for the door and stepping out.

She sniffled a few more times and dried her tears, before detaching herself from her IV, and getting dressed. She went to her room's bathroom to gussy up her hair best she could with what little to nothing she had, and then headed straight for the door. As promised he was right there waiting for her.

"Well that was fast", he gave a small chuckle as he looked up, stepping away from the wall he was leaning on.

"I didn't want to take too long. I didn't want you to leave me behind", she said to him, giving him a slight, small punch on the arm, but not nearly enough to hurt him or knock him over like the night before, which she now regretted.

"I wouldn't do that, that's just plain mean. I may be cold and different, but I'm not mean", Naruto said, shoving his hands into his pockets, looking down at her while she had to look up at him to look him in the eye, instead of being nearly eye level with him like four years ago.

" _Damn, when did he get so tall? I can barely reach his lips now! Wait, did I just think that…?_ ", she thought.

" _Sure did girlfriend! Cha! And I bet he's hot underneath that clothing, because there's no way he would of gone four years without training!_ ", said her inner self in her thoughts.

"Well? What are we waiting for? Let's go!", she said as she smiled, half at him and half at Inner's words, slightly hoping to herself that they were true. She grabbed him by the hand and pulled him along down the hall and out of the building into the snow covered streets. The air was crisp and cold, it felt nice to breathe it in instead of stuffy warm hospital air.

The two walked together down the street towards Ichiraku's in silence, while all the passersby stared at them, not recognizing the blonde stranger that walked with Sakura. She payed them no mind, but Naruto on the other hand watched them back, being reminded what life was like before; being hated and stared at with fear or anger, sometimes getting rocks thrown at him, or insulted. That was one thing he didn't miss, and someone was bound to recognize him at some point, and stir up trouble. But he didn't say a word, only glanced from the ground to the people and back every so often as they walked along, the snow crunching beneath their feet as they left foot prints behind. They passed by a group of children having a blast in the white stuff, and by the looks of it, they seemed to be playing ninja, which told Naruto that they were roughly around nine or ten years old and in the Academy. He remembered only watching the other kids play back when he was that age, but was never invited to play with them.

Then came three teens, probably about seventeen years of age by Naruto's judgment, running out from separate hiding places yelling out their declares of war on the younger ones. They were plowed with snowballs by the younger kids, while they fought back with the same thing, laughing all the while. One in particular caught the blonde's eye, a kid of about his height when he was only fifteen, with spike brown hair and a long blue scarf. He recognized this kid for certain, and stopped to watch them.

One of the little kids was running and laughing, having a good time, until he ran into someone carrying a bag of groceries.

"Hey kid! Watch it!", growled the man.

"S-sorry!", the kid shrunk down in utter shame and fear.

"Uta!", the spikey haired kid Naruto was observing came running towards the smaller child.

"You should be! Next time I won't be so nice! I aught to tell your mother about this!", the man said.

"Leave him alone!", the seventeen year old growled, stepping in between the man and the child, holding out a kunai.

"Stay out of this kid, this doesn't concern you!", the man growled again, about ready to push the older one out of the way.

Naruto wasn't going to allow it, he knew who the seventeen year old was, and he wasn't about to let any harm come to him or his friend. Suddenly he was from where he was standing to between the boy and the man in under a second, almost in a flash, like Minato.

"He said, leave him alone", Naruto growled back at the man, looking down at him with ice in his eyes, having been taller than him.

Sakura had stopped only when she realized Naruto was not with her, and turned to see where he went. When she spotted him he was watching the children, and now she was watching him defend them.

"M-my apologies!", the man shrunk back, obviously only a villager, as he picked up his groceries and hurried off. With that, Naruto turned to the children.

"You two alright, Konohamaru?", he asked, addressing the seventeen year old who was crouching next to Uta, making sure he was ok.

"Yeah, we're f- Wait…You just called me Konohamaru. How do you know my name?", asked the spikey haired kid, looking up at the blonde.

"What? Don't you recognize your big brother?", Naruto asked with a small smile as he crouched down too, so he was somewhat eye level with the teen, who's eyes widened and frown slowly grew into a wide grin.

"Naruto!", the blonde was tackled and he lost his balance, falling in the snow with Konohamaru wrapped around him in a vice grip. "You came back! I knew you wouldn't break your promise!", he said excitedly.

The moment was enough to make Sakura melt a little, as she smiled sweetly at the reunion between the two. She knew Konohamaru missed Naruto almost as much as herself did, and often he'd talk to her when he needed someone, given they were closest to the blonde, and together they shared each other's hope, from the note Sakura had and the pinkie promise Konohamaru forced.

Naruto was actually laughing, another thing he hadn't done in too long of a time, but it felt great. "Alright Konohamaru, you can let me go now!", the blonde said in his laughing.

"No! Never again! I don't care what you say I'm not letting you go, ever!", Konohamaru yelled, but he was still happy as he held his grip firmly around the blonde.

"But I'm here to stay, I promise I won't leave again", Naruto said, still laughing a little.

"Promise?", the teen asked.

"Pinkie promise. You can count on it", chuckled the blonde.

"Well, in that case then", Konohamaru said as he let go and backed up, so that Naruto could get up from the snow, which the blonde did so.

"Sakura and I were just heading to Ichiraku's, want to tag along?", Naruto asked as he brushed off the snow from himself brought on by Konohamaru's tackle.

"No thanks, I'm gonna stay here with the guys, we've got a snow ball fight to win!", said the teen with a determined look that mirrored Naruto's from back then, and it was scarily identical.

" _You've taken after me…Haven't you, Konohamaru?_ ", thought the blonde, he couldn't help but smile at the teen. "Alright then", he nodded, getting to his feet.

"See ya around big brother!", Konohamaru waved while running off with his younger friend Uta back to their game of snowball war.

Naruto waved back without a word. "That was so sweet of you! I've not seen him that happy in a long time!", he heard Sakura's voice say to him, as she joined him at his side, grinning from ear to ear.

"What can I say? I couldn't stand from the sidelines and watch him get hurt trying to defend someone", Naruto shrugged, his expression returning to its now usual appearance.

"He really looks up to you, you know that?", Sakura said after looking towards Konohamaru and the others, then back to the blonde.

"Yeah", Naruto nodded, smirking a little, while still watching. "I know".

That was one of the many great things she loved about him, that he was good with kids, and when she had first realized that about him she had thought he'd make a wonderful Hokage and even better father.

"Well, shall we go on?", she asked him.

"Of course", he nodded, and began walking with her again.

"By the way, I saw you appear in front of that man faster than I could track you, like last night. How did you do that?", she asked, curious.

"It's my father's space time jutsu, he called it the Flying Thundergod, it's what gave him the name of the Yellow Flash, like how Kakashi is called the Copy-Cat ninja. Although unlike his, mine is modified, so I don't need a seal to appear wherever that seal may be, and instead I can appear anywhere I set my mind to", he explained.

"Really? I always thought the Fourth's jutsu as unattainable by others", Sakura said.

"Well, I learned his rasengan, and perfected it further than he could, didn't I?", Naruto chuckled with a small shrug.

"Point taken", Sakura gave her own chuckle. She couldn't remember that last time she had a good conversation with him, the last couple weeks of being around him before he left weren't anything like this. She felt more enlightened then she has in the years.

They reached Ichiraku's and walked inside, taking their seats at the counter.

"Welcome to Ichiraku's! How may I he-", the old man that worked the shop said and turned to greet his two customers, but he stopped in mid turn when he saw a sight he never thought he'd see again; his old favorite customer. "Is that really you, Naruto?", he asked the blonde, rubbing an eye in case he was hallucinating.

"It's me alright. I'm pretty sure the only other person to exist with this kind of hair is Lord Fourth", the blonde nodded.

"No kidding. You look just like ole' Minato", chuckled Teuchi. "Hey Ayame! Get out here!", he called his daughter.

"Yes father? What is it?", asked the young woman as she stepped out from the back room.

"Look at who it is!", Teuchi pointed at the blonde, who gave a brief wave. 

"Oh my gosh! Is that Naruto?!", Ayame screamed as she nearly jumped over the counter at him.

"Yes, it is", Sakura said, a little…Jealous. " _And he's mine, so back off!_ ", she thought as she clenched her fist that hid under the counter. However her tension didn't get passed Naruto, he could feel it come off of her in waves, not just the spike of her chakra through his crystal.

"Calm down", he whispered to her.

"So what'll it be sport? Anything's on the house to celebrate your return!", Teuchi said, turning back to his cooking, while Ayame quickly went to go get more supplies.

"Just one bowl for myself, and anything Sakura wants", said the blond, shocking the three others there.

"Really? Normally you'd go all out and eat all the ramen you can?", Teuchi said.

"Yeah well, I've not had ramen for the years I've been gone, so sort-of-speak I've lost the interest", Naruto said.

"Oh, well ok then, if you say so. And for you Sakura?", the old man asked.

"Same thing", she said, a bit absent-mindedly as she stared at the blonde next to her. " _This is so not like you…_ ", she thought with worry.

" _Maybe we can…Turn him around? Bring him back to that Naruto, so he's not this Naruto?_ ", Inner spoke up.

" _Perhaps…_ ", Sakura thought back to Inner. " _But…How?_ ".


	4. Chapter 4: Sleepover at my place

**Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter 4**

After ramen, the two said their goodbyes to Teuchi and Ayame, who in turn waved theirs. What surprised them most was Naruto didn't even finish the entire bowl he ordered, but he left full payment and then some next to it. Now their only wish was to see him around more often, like before.

Said blonde and the pinkette that was with him walked the streets, exchanging a few words now and then but other than that they were silent, and as much as Sakura hated the fact that he was so quiet it was almost like he wasn't there, it gave her a chance to think.

" _So, what's the idea on turning his frown upside down? Huh?_ ", asked Inner.

" _I'm not so sure yet…Its almost as if he's a completely different person, like I don't even know him…_ ", she thought, looking over at him while they walked along side by side.

" _Well…There's always, THAT…_ ", Inner grinned a bit deviously, but Sakura didn't even have to ask.

" _Don't even think about it!_ ", she thought back, looking away from him as a blush rose to her cheeks. " _Besides…I-it's too soon!_ ".

" _ **So, have you thought of trying to win her over yet?**_ ", the fox spoke to Naruto, which would explain why he was so quiet.

" _What do you mean? She hasn't said a single thing about Sasuke since I've been here, and she seems pretty attached to me already as it is. Don't you think that she'd be elsewhere and not with me if she had a boyfriend?_ ", the blonde thought back to the demon, who only gave a half amused chuckle.

" _ **Suppose so. But at least now you have a chance of winning her for sure, before that Uchiha does**_ ", said Kurama.

" _I can guarantee you that Sasuke still wants nothing more to do with her than being her teammate, and he's in ANBU, as if he'd have much time to give paying attention to her anyway. Even if he did, the bastard just wouldn't treat her right, like-_ ", Naruto argued, but the fox interrupted him.

" _ **Like you would?**_ ", said the fox, making his jailer's thoughts grow as silent as he was being outside their conversation. " _ **Idiot! You're not being logical! If he's named Hokage and you're not, he is likely to restore his clan first and foremost! And who do you think he's going to ask first to help him with that?**_ ", Kurama growled.

" _Oh…Now I see your point…_ ", Naruto thought, causing the fox to facepalm with an irritated sigh.

" _We could get him drunk first?_ ", Inner suggested to Sakura.

" _I don't think he drinks_ ", Sakura protested.

" _Oh really? Then why was he at the bar last night? To sit alone?_ ", taunted Inner.

" _Well…Yeah! He didn't look buzzed even to me, so I doubt he drinks. Either he just happened to of arrived at the restaurant right as I was being humiliatingly flirted with, or he had been there the whole time and I just didn't notice him!_ ", thought the pinkette, scowling to herself at Inner.

" _Well if you say so. But you'll admit to him, sooner or later_ ", and with that Inner was silent once more, leaving Sakura to her own thoughts.

" _Well even if Sasuke were to ask such a thing of her, I'm sure she'd refuse. Least I hope, for her sake anyway_ ", Naruto thought to the demon.

" _ **Well if you say so. But you'll admit to her, sooner or later**_ ", said the fox, before he retreated to the blonde's subconsciousness and fell dormant, not uttering another word.

"You're quiet over there", Sakura spoke up to him.

"You're quiet yourself. What's up?", Naruto looked back at her, meeting her jade green gaze.

"Oh, nothing really. Just thinking is all", she gave him a small smile.

"Might I ask of what?", he asked. Finally they were making real conversation again.

"Just…Stuff. How even though you're different from four years ago, everything's beginning to feel like the good days. What about you? You're usually silent when you're thinking, so spill!", she told him.

"I was actually speaking with the fox about things. He seems a little concerned about me becoming Hokage over Sasuke", he answered with a shrug of his shoulders. But at the mentioning of the fox, she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Th-the fox?", she asked, sounding rather fearful, like she always had been of the demon. She never saw Naruto as the monster the village thought him to be, at least not until they were becoming a close-nit team, but before then she only thought of him as an idiot. Once she learned he was the Nine Tails jinchuuriki, she had finally been shown why everyone showed so much hate towards him, calling him names and wishing death upon him. But unlike those people, she saw the good in him and that the fox had nothing to do with who he was, only what he was. Only when Naruto was in a state of rage under the demon's influence did she show real fear around him, but it was always fear of the fox, not the boy. She loved the boy, but feared the fox.

"Yes. He and I came to an agreement and understanding a while after I left, and since then we've worked cooperatively, instead of against each other. I'm still vulnerable to his chakra, but not nearly as much as I was before I learned to hide my emotions and stow them away", explained the blonde, stopping just after her and turning to look at her. "I know how much you fear him, but don't worry. He's just a grumpy old bastard who's learned his place!", he chuckled the last part.

" _ **I heard that!**_ ", Kurama spoke briefly.

"O-ok…", Sakura nodded hesitantly, walking up to be side by side with him again, and they continued their stroll. She trusted Naruto and his judgement, no doubt about it, but when it came to the matter of the demon she felt uneasy, but still had trust in him. She reached down slowly for his hand, and grasped it gently.

The blonde only looked at her from the corner of his eye, and gave her a half smile and a small squeeze of her fingers for reassurance. To say he wasn't blushing, and that his cheeks were red from the cold air, would be a lie.

Night fell, as did more snow, and they were still out walking together. This make Sakura wish they had done this more often sooner than now. She had brought up where he was to stay, to live in Konoha, and it bloomed into a discussion.

"Well, unfortunately Tsunade had to give up the keys to your apartment. She couldn't keep it open much longer and folks were starting to complain", Sakura told him.

"Understandable. I don't see the point in keeping a vacant apartment locked for four years or longer just for one person, when someone else is in need of it. I didn't have much belongings there anyway", the blonde said without a hint of shock or even anger at losing his apartment.

"Well any belongings you did have are at my place, I moved out of my parent's house a year and a half ago. Tsunade helped in the search for a place, and Ino helped with furniture. I couldn't let them through any of your things away in case they might still be of same value to you, so I kept them safely", Sakura explained. "And if you need a place to stay, you can always stay with me", she blushed.

The blonde turned and faced her. "I don't know…I mean, I don't want to be a burden to you. I'm sure I can just stay at the nearby hot spring for a few days until I find my own place. Besides, I had planned on moving out of that old apartment anyway after I returned, just to have a change in scenery", he said, looking down at the ground with his hands in his pockets.

"But you're not a burden Naruto!", she told him. "If anything, you're someone to keep me company. It gets lonesome being by myself and Ino just gets too annoying sometimes. I can only tolerate that pig for so long", she said.

"I…Are you sure, Sakura? I mean it's your house, your rules, so you decide who what guests you invite", Naruto said with a sideways glance at her.

"I'm plenty sure, because if I wasn't then I wouldn't be offering. Now come on! It's freezing out here!", Sakura said almost proudly, hands on her hips and chin high. She took him by the arm and again dragged him along before he could say no or tell her otherwise.

She dragged him through the crowds, down the street, around a couple corners and another crowd, before they finally reached her front door. She dug around her pocket for her keys, hands freezing and almost numb as she figited for the right one. Finally she found it, and unlocked the door. Shivering, she went inside, beckoning for her blonde friend to follow, which he did like an obedient dog and closed the door behind him.

"I'm going to make cocoa, could you get a fire started?", she said, hanging her coat and removing her shoes, before disappearing down a short hallway to the kitchen.

Naruto did as requested and went to her fireplace, gathering wood and piling it in the center, before lighting it to burn. It took a few minutes, but he finally got a good flame going.

Sakura returned shortly after that with two mugs of cocoa, one for him and one for herself. It seemed almost too perfect.

He sat on the floor in front of the fire, and she sat happily next to him. Again they were both in the other's silence, and she stared at him for a while, before finally working up the nerve to ask him a question that had been lingering in her mind since she met him again.

"Naruto?", she began by getting his attention.

"Yes, Sakura?", he looked over at her, with that usually frowning expression of his.

"I-if you don't mind me asking…Where did you get those scars?", she asked.

The blonde was honestly a little caught off guard, and he looked at the fire wondering how to explain it to her. But those weren't the only scars he carried.

"I've been in more battles then you can count on to hands", he said. "I have plenty more…", and at that, he removed his jacket for the first time since being there, to reveal more scars along his arms and his shoulders, a couple visable on his chest, and more on his back hidden by his black tank top.

Sakura actually let out a gasp at the sight of it all. "Naruto…".

"You'd be amazed at just how easily a man can be changed, and one battle is enough to do him in, while the rest only harden his conscious", he said, staring at the dancing orange flames, while she stared at him.

Hesitantly, she slowly extended her arm to him, and gently ran her soft fingers over a few of the scars on his arm, feeling rough compared to the skin around it, which felt smooth.

He looked down at her hand and for once, had a full expression of sadness as she did so. These scars were reminders to him, reminders of all that he had been through in these last four brutal years, and none of them were good memories. The stories behind them were even more frightening, and he would only tell her when she was ready to listen to such horror.

Forgetting about her mug of cocoa she left sitting on the floor, Sakura moved closer to him, and leaned on him.

Hesitantly, the blonde put an arm around behind her, and brought her a little closer, as they both watched the warming fire.

They sat there without moving until the fire died away, and by then both of them were nodding off to sleep.

"Wait here. I'll be right back", she told him, and got up leaving him and went upstairs, returning a short while with pillows and a blanket for him.

"Sleep where you want tonight, but these are for you", she said, setting the pillows and neatly folded blanket aside.

"I think I'll stay down here and use the couch", he gave her a small smile of thanks, before standing up himself.

"Ok…See you in the morning then?", she asked, looking up at his blue eyes.

"Of course", he nodded, widening his smile when their gazes met.

She moved forward and in a swift move stood on her tip toes, pulled his head down with her hands and gave him a peck on the cheek, which actually made the blonde's eyes widen as he blushed a little.

"Good night", she chuckled at his reaction. "Sleep well", she turned and headed for the stairs.

"Good night", he waved to her. "Sweet dreams", he muttered when she was out of earshot, and he heard her bedroom door close, signaling she was in bed. He looked down at the blanket and pillows she had left for him, and set up his own bed on the couch, lying down and sighing to himself out loud. He watched the snow fall outside the window, sitting in complete darkness save for the still burning embers of the fire and the lamp post that lit up her street in the night. He felt at peace, like he belonged. But who knows, maybe he did?

" _This might work out, after all…_ ", the two of them thought at the same time just before they fell to the essence of sleep.


	5. Chapter 5: Old Friends

**Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter 5**

Morning came, bringing another fresh layer of snow to the village already blanketed in white. Everyone seemed to take the opportunity to sleep in, even those that weren't suppose to, except a certain pinkette.

Sakura was up and awake, sitting in her bed and staring at the ceiling as she tried to recall the events of the night before. Then she remembered, she had a certain blonde asleep on her couch in her living room. She got up quickly, throwing her rob over her pajamas and slipping on her slippers. She rushed out of her room and down the stairs quickly, but quietly so she wouldn't wake him.

Naruto was asleep on her couch, laying on his stomach with one arm hanging over the side. The only thing he lacked was his snoring.

Sakura tip toed over to the couch and peaked over it from behind at her guest, smiling when she saw he was still asleep. She went to the kitchen to start a batch of her morning mint tea, but came back once the kettle was set upon the heating stove, so all she was left to do was wait. She sat next to him on the couch and looked down at him softly.

" _He's kind of cute when he sleeps…_ ", she thought to herself.

" _What are you talking about 'kind of'?! He's fucking adorable! CHA!_ ", she heard Inner speak up.

Slowly Sakura reached for him and ran her fingers through his hair, which surprisingly felt softer than it looked. She ran through it a couple times more as she watched him sleep peacefully, it seemed his expression softened up into a bit of a happy smile as she stroked his hair.

" _I know you're in there somewhere Naruto. The real you_ ", she thought, but then her head snapped up when she heard the tea kettle whistling, and jumped up to get it. But little did she know that the blonde opened one eye when she had her back turned and watched her walk away with a smile still on his face.

Naruto used his jutsu to disappear, and appear behind Sakura when she was walking back with a cup of tea, but he kept quiet so she wouldn't notice.

Sakura sat down in the recliner she had next to the couch, and when she looked up she saw her favorite blonde missing.

"Where'd he go?", she asked out loud as she set her tea down on the side table and looked around for him.

"Right here", he said as he popped up from behind the recliner and grabbed her shoulders playfully, but he scared her as planned because she let out a small scream.

"Well, good morning to you too!", she said to him, suddenly bringing him down by the neck with her arm and giving him a noogie with her fist, while he begged for mercy.

"Alright you got me!", he chuckled when she let him go.

"Serves you right, you sly fox!", she laughed at him. But then she realized the pun in her words, and she stopped. "Sorry, I didn't mean to-", she began, turning to look back at him.

"Don't worry about it. It's befitting", he told her, giving a nonchalant shrug, which he seemed to do a lot. But if only for a brief five seconds, she saw the warmth he always had return to his facial features, eyes and smile both, and that was more than enough to reassure her that he wasn't saying it just so she wouldn't feel bad. Although it was short lived as it began to fade away, even though he still held the smile.

The moment was interrupted when there was a knock on Sakura's front door, and the two jumped at the sound of it, looking towards it.

"That's probably Ino, she usually stops by in the mornings so we can walk to work together", the pinkette said, but it took a minute for it to click in her head. "Quick! Hide!", she jumped up and pushed Naruto towards the kitchen where Ino wouldn't see him, and ran to answer the door.

"Everything alright in there Sakura? I could of swore I heard you talking to someone?", the platinum blonde said once the door was opened, trying to peak passed the other kunoichi to see if there was anyone else present.

"Nope, just me, all by myself, no one else!", Sakura tried covering up her tracks. She didn't want Ino to know she had Naruto in her house, or else who knows what kind of rumors could spread, or even what Ino would do.

"Are you sure?", Ino raised a brow, giving Sakura a stern questioning look.

"Yes! I talk to myself sometimes you know! Sometimes I just need expert advice!", Sakura crossed her arms, quickly growing annoyed.

Naruto who had been listening from around the corner couldn't help but stifle a small chuckle at her excuse, holding a hand over his mouth to try and prevent from being heard, but then he heard Ino yell and knew he was in trouble. Both of them were.

"I know there's somebody there Sakura! Now let me in, Billboard-brow!", the platinum blonde shoved her way through the door, passing Sakura as she entered the home, looking around for someone.

" _Uh oh…_ ", thought Naruto, as he looked around the kitchen for a new hiding space. " _The pantry!_ ", he spotted a closet like room with a door, and decided it'd have to satisfy, but if Ino found him he'd be cornered. He lightly and slowly walked over to the door, trying not to make the floor creak, but then he felt that most uncomfortable feeling; He felt a sneeze coming on. There was no use holding it in, as he stopped in mid-step and, "AAACHOOOO!", came the sneeze, nearly knocking him off his feet.

"Aha!", Ino grinned, now knowing where to look as she sped for the kitchen, and there she found him.

"I knew there was someone here!", Ino exclaimed.

"Whoops…", Naruto turned to face the two girls with what looked like a nervous expression, more because of the way Sakura was looking at him, with that 'I am going to hurt you' look.

"Sakura, what is he doing here?", asked Ino, looking at the pinkette but pointing at the blonde. "Wait! Don't tell me! You two are…!", she went on.

"No!", both Sakura and Naruto said in unison.

"He was only here for the night!", said Sakura.

"Because she explained to me about Tsunade having to give up holding my apartment, so she offered me to stay with her", said Naruto.

"Well…Whatever! You two always confused me back then and you still confuse me now!", Ino gave in, rolling her eyes. "Come on Sakura, you need to hurry and get ready or else you're going to be late for work!", she pestered.

"Alright alright!", the pinkette yelled, heading upstairs.

"I'm going to check in with Tsunade", Naruto said, grabbing his jacket and quickly throwing it on, then disappearing in a flash. 

"What the-? How did he just…?", Ino gasped at how quickly he had disappeared, stumped. Clearly she had not been paying attention during Iruka's history lesson on Konoha's Fourth back at the Academy, although it was a while ago. "Sakura! Hurry up!".

At Tsunade's office, Naruto suddenly appeared in front of the Hokage's desk, and in turn Tsunade looked up from her paperwork at him wide eyed and a bit confused.

"Brat! You scared me!", she said once she realized who it was. "I see you mastered yet another one of your father's jutsus?".

"With my own fixes to it", Naruto gave a shrug.

"Well I'm glad you're here, now I don't have to send someone out to find you. Here", said the Hokage, reaching under her desk for something, and holding up a flak jacket and tossing it to him. He caught it easily. "I told you I'd pull some strings, and that'll mark your jonin status as official", she smiled.

Naruto didn't say anything, only nodded, and slipped it on.

"Have you seen Iruka or Kakashi yet?", Tsunade asked him.

"No. Iruka I can understand but I'm a little shocked I've not run into Kakashi yet, given he has the infamous tendency to just appear where you least expect him to be", answered the blonde with a hand to his chin.

"You mean like you just did three minutes ago?", Tsunade gave a smirk with a raised brow, crossing her arms.

"We all learn from only the best", Naruto gave a small smile, but it was empty.

Tsunade looked down with a chuckle. "Dismissed", she said, and with that the blonde was gone the same way he had appeared.

Back in the streets of Konoha, Ino and Sakura walked with each other in the snow to work.

"I don't know Ino, it's like…Like he's not even there. He's not himself, or at least what used to be himself. He's more unpredictable, without the hyperactive part, and he doesn't act much like a knucklehead anymore. I find it a little hard to believe it's really Naruto", Sakura told the kunoichi next to her.

"I find it hard to believe it's even Naruto at all. Unlike you and some of the others, I didn't think he'd show his face around here again, because he was one of the last people I thought would ever leave this village", argued Ino.

"You wanna know something he said to me yesterday? He said that the him I knew is long gone, that the him I knew died and the him now took over…And he's been like that for the four years he hasn't been here…", Sakura said, saddening at the thought of her beloved Naruto 'dying and being resurrected' into the Naruto he's become. His appearance didn't bother her much, even if he was a scar-face. It was his personality she didn't like, the way he acted emotionless, and always had that frown with a cold stare in those dulled cerulean eyes of his. She wanted the old Naruto back, the one she knew more, and loved.

"What does he mean by that exactly?", Ino asked.

"I'm not too sure. But I do know something happened to him that really messed him up, and I'm determined to find out what it is!", Sakura clenched her fists tightly.

"And how do you plan to do that? He doesn't seem so open anymore like he used to be, I doubt he'd actually tell you", Ino gave a snort and an eye roll.

"He opened up to me a little last night. I asked him about those scars on his face and he only gave me a simple answer that didn't explain exactly how, but then he showed me the other scars he has. But to be honest, I think there's far more to just those three scars on his face than the rest, looking closely at them I can tell they weren't from a blade…", Sakura said, then she gave a thoughtful look.

"Glass, maybe?", Ino suggested.

"No, glass wouldn't cut like that. Both glass and a blade would leave jagged edges, but a blade would be a near straight line, glass wouldn't. The scars on his face don't have jagged edges by the looks of them, but they're not straight lines either. Not only that, but they're wider than what either a general sized blade or glass would leave", Sakura said.

"How so?", Ino asked, suddenly feeling a little curious now.

"Almost like finger width, I guess? There's no other way I can describe it", Sakura shrugged her shoulders a little.

"You don't think it's somehow related to a self-harm incident or something, do you?", the platinum blonde stated. She had seen more than enough cases at the hospital of self-harm incidents, anywhere from cutting to burning to even clawing, and what Sakura was telling her was beginning to sound like such an incident.

"No…", the pinkette shook her head in denial. "No, Naruto's not like that…He wouldn't do that to himself…", she was more trying to convince herself than she was trying to convince Ino. She wanted to believe Naruto wouldn't ever do such a thing, he just wasn't that kind of person, or at least he always acted like he wasn't…Perhaps there was a lot more dark secrets to him besides being the Nine Tails jinchuuriki than truth be told.

The two kunoichi were silent the rest of the way to work, arriving at the hospital with just five mintes to spare before they would be considered late. They took their assignments and to work they went.

Meanwhile at the academy, Iruka was going through one of his lessons with his class, while Shino and Choji sat next to his desk quietly listening and watching the children. It was the usual learning of the clone jutsu, and in retrospect while relating to the topic at focus, he began telling the one story he remembered much of the details to; when he and Naruto went up against Mizuki the first time, who was after a scroll that he had talked Naruto into stealing by convincing him it'd help him pass his test to become a genin after he had failed. Mizuki wanted what was in the scroll, and he used Naruto to obtain it, however his plan backfired horribly when the blonde used its secrets against him.

"I sense a familiar presence is about to walk into the room", Shino whispered to Choji.

"What are you talking about Shino? Who?", the Akamichi asked the Aburame.

"You will see", was all Shino said, and didn't speak again, leaving Choji still a little lost.

"Of course Naruto didn't know it was bad to steal the scroll, but the kid was wanting so badly to become a genin that he was willing to do anything it took, even what Mizuki talked him into doing. I don't think I've ever seen anyone so desperate in all my years of teaching, or even my life, to become a ninja of Konoha", Iruka went on, as the children watched him a bit excitedly. They always liked hearing stories about this Naruto person their teacher often talked about, how the blonde was usually the dead-last in everything, and quite the little trouble maker but, a good kid otherwise.

"Well I wouldn't call it desperation, Iruka Sensei", came a voice from the door way, and everyone in the room but Shino turned to see who it was, only to find a tall man with spikey blonde hair leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed, eyes closed and his head turned downward. "More like, strong determination, if you will. You knew I never gave up, that was always my nindo", the blonde looked up at Iruka.

Iruka dropped the stick of chalk he was holding and stared wide eyed at his old student. "Naruto! Where did-? How'd you-? When did you-?", he stuttered.

"What? Surprised to see me?", asked the blonde as he smirked a little and walked into the room. "Well, you shouldn't be".

"See? I told you", Shino whispered to Choji.

"Where did he come from?!", Choji asked, looking back at Shino and then to Iruka and one of his old classmates from the Rookie Nine.

Iruka's students began talking amongst each other over the arrival of one of the few they thought to be a paradigm based on the things they had heard about him.

"Telling your stories again I see", said Naruto, looking from the students to Iruka.

Said teacher gave a nervous laugh as he scratched the back of his head. "Well, I thought they'd find inspiration useful in pursuing the ways of a ninja", he said.

"I'm not so sure I'm the kind of inspiration to be giving them, not after all the trouble I gave you", Naruto gave a small chuckle.

"But in the end, you and the others of the Rookie Nine became great ninja, through trial and error", Iruka said.

"Mr. Uzumaki! Is everything Iruka Sensei says true?", asked one of the students.

"What was it like training with one of the Sannin?", asked another.

"Are you really Lord Fourth's son?", asked a third.

"Alright, one question at a time!", Iruka warned them.

"Well I don't know what all Iruka Sensei has told you but I will say for the most part yes, it's true, that is if he hasn't been exaggerating what the truth is. Training with Jiraiya the Toad Sage wasn't an easy task, given he was always 'distracted', but overall he was one of the greatest people I knew. And as for the last one, I didn't find out until I was sixteen, so all that time I went without knowing who my parents were, but yes I am Minato's son", Naruto answered.

"I was just going over the clone jutsu, which is how I got caught up in telling them about you, given the simple clone jutsu was quite the obstacle for you, that is until you learned the shadow clone jutsu. Why not stay and teach them a few things? The final exam is in a couple months, but you and the Rookie Nine would know well how quickly those couple months can fly by", Iruka said as he retrieved the stick of chalk he had dropped due to shock, and looked back at the blonde for his answer.

Naruto stood there in a moment's silence, while the eyes of the students were on him in waiting anticipation. Hearing stories about him were exciting, but what could be more exciting than actually learning from him?

"I suppose I've got time", the blonde nodded.


	6. Chapter 6: New Enemies

**Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter 6**

Mid-day came and gone, leading into the late afternoon, but the time in hours didn't bring about warmer temperatures. Many buzzed around in scarves and medium to heavy coats in varies sizes, some with mittens and others with ear muffs. This was for sure one of the coldest winters that hit Konoha straight in the face.

Sakura and Ino were just leaving the hospital, after what seemed like a day that dragged on forever, and in Shikamaru's terms it would definitely be called 'a drag'. Neither didn't say much, knowing the other was feeling exhausted, having to run back and forth per each case of the common cold brought on during this winter, as well as cases more severe like flu and pneumonia.

"I love winter, but not when it involves sick people", Sakura said, trying to strike up a conversation anyway.

"So do I. Honestly people should be smarter and stay inside, or get their vaccines! It's just common sense!", Ino gave a nod of agreement. "Today I had a case with a little kid that had a bad runny nose, and he sneezed a snot rocket all over me! It was disgusting!", she complained.

Sakura while listening chuckled at the platinum blonde's complaining, she found the story it a little funny, and could just imagine her friend's reaction to getting sneezed on. "Oh, you poor thing!", she said with a bit of a tease.

"Oh har har!", Ino gave a sneer, not seeing the amusement like Sakura did.

The two turned on to a more quieter street, deciding that despite they were tired, that it'd be good to take the long way home and enjoy the fresh air after being locked up in a germ factory. But suddenly they weren't alone, as a figure with raven-black hair and onyx eyes appeared, clad in his ANBU training outfit, which would give anyone the guess that he had returned from training.

"Sasuke!", Sakura was a little surprised to see her old teammate, and Ino had jumped a little but she wouldn't admit to being scared for a few seconds. Her interest for him was lost far longer than Sakura's, who over time had also lost interest.

"Sakura. Ino", the Uchiha gave a nod to the both of them as he addressed their names, in his calm but usual stoic manner. "Isn't it a little cold for the two of you to be out long?".

"We're smart enough to get our vaccines early, so we're not as prone to catching anything while working shifts in the hospital", Ino said, crossing her arms and looking down at the ground. She felt as uneasy around him as Sakura did at times, like now.

"I see. I thought for sure that idiot would be with you, Sakura. He would of volunteered to walk you home any time four years ago", said Sasuke.

"Well that was four years ago, he's changed and I don't know where he's at. Why would his whereabouts interest you anyway?", Sakura told him, giving a suspicious look.

"As irresponsible as ever", Sasuke scoffed. "If he still plans to become Hokage, shouldn't he be training for the title, instead of slinking off to who knows where?", the Uchiha said.

"He could be with Tsunade! He did say earlier this morning he would check in with her", Sakura said, getting a little defensive, but tried to keep calm, so that her temper would not be allowed to get the better of her.

"I just came from there, I didn't see any sign of him, and Tsunade said she had seen him only briefly this morning before he took off again", Sasuke said.

"Why does it matter all of a sudden where he's at?!", Sakura snapped finally.

"Because I cannot allow him to get in my way!", growled Sasuke. But it was only a second after he had spoken that he felt cold metal pressed to his neck from behind, with another growling voice that wasn't his own in his ear.

"I'm right here, Sasuke…", said Naruto, as he glared blankly straight on towards Sakura and Ino, but it wasn't directed at them. He had a hold of Sasuke from behind and was pressing a kunai to the Uchiha's neck, but didn't apply much pressure, only enough to threaten.

Sasuke was actually surprised and…Frightened, by the blonde's sudden appearance, and he didn't say a word. He wasn't aware that Naruto had more years of ANBU training than he did, so he didn't expect him to pull something like this, and especially not be boastful about it.

"Any business you have with me you are to leave the girls and everyone else out of, understand? I won't hesitate to kill if you bring any sort of harm to them", the blonde gave another growl.

The girls as he had mentioned, were also frightened, but more by his behavior than his sudden appearance. Neither one of them could recall ever seeing the blonde so dark and intimidating, even enough to put fear into Sasuke who always seemed to stare fear right in the eyes and not be effected. Now Ino was beginning to see just what Sakura had been talking about, and how different Naruto truly was.

Sasuke reached for his katana and drew it swiftly from its sheath, and swung it around to strike at Naruto, but his path was intercepted by one of the blonde's clones, thus the clank of sword blade meets kunai blade rang out. The real Naruto let go and flash-jumped to in front of the girls, as his clone was soon obliterated and dispersed by the Uchiha's sword. Their glares met, ice against darkness, unblinking.

"Are you going to act all high and mighty again facing your competition?!", the Uchiha yelled at the Uzumaki.

"I am responsible. The only difference between you and me is the fact that one seeks vengeance. I am not vindictive like you are, revenge is below me", Naruto told him, showing that eerie calmness yet again.

"You can't become strong and powerful without feeling you need to seek revenge", said Sasuke.

"I possess greater power than you're aware of, and it is because I trained hard to become a better ninja, not because I resent those who have wronged me. I don't seek vengeance against the Nine Tails for what he did, for killing many good people including my parents, for nearly decimating the village. I don't seek vengeance against who killed Jiraiya Sensei, nor against Tsunade for allowing him to go on that one last mission. And I don't seek vengeance against any of the villagers that mistreated me in the past. I've learned to show forgiveness, and forgiveness is what makes a good Hokage. It's better to understand, than to be misunderstood", said Naruto.

"How would you know? You didn't have everything taken from you by your own brother!", Sasuke snorted.

"Still bitter towards Itachi? I know because I'm a jinchuuriki, and it takes the eyes of a jinchuuriki to see such things. You forget that I was alone longer than you were, I didn't have a family in the beginning like you did, I didn't have anyone for a while. I may not be able to see it the way you do and feel your pain the way you want me to, but at least you're more familiar with a mother's love and a father's touch", Naruto told him.

As Sakura watched the two, she thought back to the times she had seen both of them at young ages walk the streets of Konoha alone, and always wondered why. It wasn't until she learned of what happened to the Uchiha Clan and that Naruto was the Nine Tails that she knew the reasons, and from that felt bad for not seeing it sooner. She did feel bad for Sasuke still, with how much pain he was still in, but he was always bitter about it and sulked on it more than he probably should, always shooing her away when she asked if he was alright. Naruto was different in that matter. He always put on a smile no matter how much pain he was in, and he never denied her offer of comfort when he needed it. She could see that that part of him was still there in him, it just didn't seem like it with how much different he acted, but it was still there. " _Naruto…_ ".

"When are you going to learn that you don't know my pain?!", yelled the Uchiha as he charged at the Uzumaki with his katana ready to strike, and when he did, the blade had come to another sudden abrupt stop, but it wasn't by a clone this time.

Droplets of red hit the snow between the Uzumaki and the Uchiha, staining it a dark scarlet. Ino and Sakura stared wide eyed, and Sasuke was astonished. The blonde had caught the Uchiha's blade with his own hand.

"Only when I stop caring", the blonde growled coldly, holding firmly the blade of Sasuke's sword in his hand, not feeling a single sting from it as his palm bled heavily. Suddenly he kicked Sasuke in the gut sending him a few feet away, took the Uchiha's katana in his other hand and held it at his side, clenching the bleeding palm into a fist which only made the blood run faster. "When push comes to shove such as for the title of Hokage, I won't be so kind, but that doesn't mean I won't care", he said, tossing the sword aside, which it landed in the snow next to the Uchiha hilt up, blade in the ground. The two stared with glares at each other for another minute in silence, before Naruto took Sakura and Ino's shoulders, and in a flash all three of them had vanished leaving Sasuke to ponder what the hell had just happened.

During the whole feud, a new arrival with familiar silver hair that seemed to defy gravity had been watching them from the trees nearby, and he let out a chuckle. "That Naruto. Always knowing the right things to say", he said to himself, and disappeared in the shadows.

The three appeared just in front of Ino's place, and said platinum blonde looked at Naruto, then went up to her door. "Th-thank you, I guess…", she said in a bit of a mutter, but Naruto heard her and gave a nod before disappearing in a flash again, with Sakura. Ino went inside, still shaken up by their encounter with her old childhood crush, and that's when she decided that she didn't want to be alone if ever the Uchiha were to for some reason come after her. She packed a few things and headed for Shikamaru's

Naruto and Sakura appeared in front of the pinkette's door. "You're hurt!", she said to him, taking the bleeding hand in her own two.

"It's nothing, I don't feel it. I've had a lot worse in the recent past, this is pale in comparison", Naruto said, without displaying any sort of worry or concern for his own well being.

"I don't care! You're bleeding badly! Come on!", she said to him sternly, and led him inside, sitting him down on her couch and taking the spot next to him, still holding his injured hand as she began to heal it.

Naruto sat silently as he watched her heal his injury, then looked to the side as he thought of what happened between him and Sasuke just a few minutes ago. He always knew the Uchiha could be a total ass, but that was different. This time Sasuke had the intent of getting the blonde out of the way of becoming Hokage any way he could, even if it meant murder.

"Are you upset about him?", Sakura asked, looking up from her task at him worriedly. "He could of killed you back there…", she said more quietly.

"I'm not as upset about him as I am disappointed in him. With that kind of behavior, he's likely to run Konoha into the ground should he become Hokage and not me, and I don't want to let that happen. I thought he'd be better since he's even trying to earn the title in the first place…But I've been wrong before", Naruto said, looking back at her.

"He's been that way since he learned he had the option, if given the right training he needs for it, so he's not taken the seriousness of it lightly. He worked hard to become a jonin, then did a few solo S-rank missions, and just a couple months ago he entered ANBU. The required amount of time spent in ANBU is at least one year for someone to become Hokage, but Tsunade has been working to change those rules to prevent him from it, by adding another year and a half in the agency or a year and having trained your own team. So if those rules fall through, his only options will be to train longer in the ANBU until his year and a half is up or move back to Jonin status and take up his own team of genin until however long he needs to. It will also mean that you'll have to do the same, if it happens within the next eight months. If he completes his ANBU training before then, she can't pin it against him and deny his eligibility", Sakura explained.

"That's not so", Naruto shook his head. "I've been taught the ways of ANBU for the four years I've been away from Konoha, and when Tsunade spoke with me before, she told me that I could either enter for a year to make it official or take a test and use what I already know. If I succeed, the status will be given to me automatically as well as however many years I have as experience, which would mean that Sasuke wouldn't have a chance if those rules become law", he said.

"But isn't that cheating?", asked Sakura.

"It is. But Tsunade is the one who posted the offer which, if she didn't want me to become Hokage instead of Sasuke, she wouldn't have spoken anything of it. I know it's cheating, but it's the only chance we've got of beating Sasuke to it, so I agreed", replied Naruto.

"Well…", Sakura looked back down at his hand, as the green glow surround it and her hands began to fade until it was gone, indicating that his injury was healed, and then looked back up at him with a smile as she held his hand close. "I hope you succeed. I'll be there every step of the way to cheer you on, because you always believed in me when we were younger, so now it is my turn to believe in you", she said.

"Thank you, Sakura", the blonde gave back a smile at her, remnants of his warmth that accompanied his smiles shown through, and it made her heart leap. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his chest and closing her eyes with a content sigh. Naruto looked down at her a bit caught off guard, but like the night before he slowly put his arms around her in response, and he held her there for what seemed like ever.

Sakura fell asleep feeling safe wrapped in the blonde's embrace, like she always had when she was around him, before he left the village. She was happy as could be, and wasn't about to let go. She needed him, because life without him was an empty one, and she didn't like it. She just wanted to be close with him again like before, and hoped that sometime soon, she would get him to laugh and smile again like he always did back then. That was her goal, and a part of her new nindo; she wouldn't give up on Naruto.

The blonde waited for a little while longer until he was sure she was deep in sleep, and he took the chance to move her. He picked her up gently in his arms bridal style, and carried her upstairs quietly to her own bed, laying her down softly. He pulled the blanket over her so that she wouldn't feel cold later in the night, and began to head for the door. But then he heard her mumble something and turned back to look at her.

"Please don't go…", the pinkette said in her sleep, giving Naruto the impression that she was dreaming, but of what he didn't know. Although it was easy to think that she had to of been dreaming of seeing him leave like Konohamaru had, and was begging him not to go. He saw just one tear find its way do her face from her sleeping eyes, and went back over to her bedside. He wiped away the tear with his thumb, careful not to wake her so he was gentle, and bent down giving her a kiss goodnight on the forehead. She seemed to ease up after that and was peaceful again. He gave her one last look and left the room to back downstairs and sat on the couch.

" _I won't ever leave you like that again, Sakura_ ".


	7. Chapter 7: Nightmarish Dream

**Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter 7**

The cold night went by at what seemed like a slow pace, bringing about another peaceful snowfall to add to the existing whiteness of the winter that covered the village, and the streets were empty of people in the late hour. However, not all was peaceful for one Haruno who was in a restless sleep, for not only did the night bring new snow but had also brought her into a nightmare…

" _Naruto!", she shouted, as she rushed towards a four-tailed creature that sat perched on a pile of rubble and rock growling and staring off towards where it's enemy stood._

" _Naruto, stop! Its ok, I can rescue Sasuke!", she yelled, tears streaming from her eyes whilst she continued to rush forward at the creature, Naruto, who was stuck in a four-tailed fox state._

" _I'm begging you to stop this right now! Please! NARUTO PLEASE STOP!", she screamed, but she tripped and began to fall forward, although she caught herself in time._

 _The four-tailed Naruto on the other hand took notice of her and gave a growl to show she was unwelcomed, but in his current state he could not tell the difference between friend and foe. His agenda was to kill. He struck her with one of his tails, sending her away to the ground with a bleeding wound on her arm, dust flying around where she landed._

 _Sakura trembled at the pain, gripping her arm and sniffling at the fact that for the moment Naruto was gone, and in his place was a four-tailed monster. Thus the price of being the Nine-Tail's jinchuuriki. She went to open her eyes and again say his name, but when she did all she saw was darkness around her, and she heard not a sound. She realized she was her older self when she looked at her arm and found only the faint scar left by the attack, and didn't feel the pain anymore. She looked around, confused as to where she was and how she had got there, when the last thing she had seen was one of Naruto's tails coming at her._

" _Anyone there?", she asked, only hearing the echo of her own voice. What followed was the sound of footsteps on water. She turned towards where she heard it from, and soon saw an older, and normal, Naruto walking out of the shadows, with his head down and his fists clenched._

" _Naruto!", Sakura seemed happy to see him and began to move towards him, but she stopped when she felt something was off. Through the crystal, she could feel his chakra was different and dark, with immense power that she knew wasn't actually his. She recognized this feeling from when he would go into his fox state, regardless of the tail numbers. She took a step back from him. "N-Naruto?", her voice trembled like her body, looking on worried and afraid, and holding her hands close to her chest, one gripping the crystal she wore._

 _The blond in front of her looked up with ruby red slits that seemed to glow, and he had a snarl on his face, baring sharp canines, and let out a bit of a growl._

 _Sakura gasped when he suddenly moved towards her swiftly, and before she knew it he was only less than inches away from her, but just as quickly as he had moved he veered to the side and disappeared into more shadows. Sakura looked around shaking, fearing he'd come at her from any direction, with the one thing she could not figure out; why?_

" _You can't save him", she heard someone say, and when she went to look for the source she saw the sixteen year old Naruto, the Naruto she saw last before four years passed by, and on his face he shared her worrying fear. "He's too far gone", young Naruto shook his head negatively._

" _W-what do you mean?", Sakura asked him._

" _I'm the Naruto you remember Sakura. But the Naruto you see has me locked up inside. I'm still here, when he laughs or smiles or looks at you with that warm gaze is when I'm reaching for the surface but can't quite grasp it. I've not been able to break free, I have tried so many times. You can't do anything to help him. You can't", young Naruto told her. The blond had never given up on anything, because that was against his nindo, but it was apparent to Sakura that he had given up on trying to escape when he saw that there just no way out._

 _Sakura could feel tears brimming her eyes at the things she was hearing, and she could feel her heart breaking, while she stared sadly at the ghostly soul of who her Naruto used to be, memories flashing back of when the two of them were both young up until the day she found his goodbye letter. The tears streaked down her cheeks, and young Naruto mirrored it with his own tears while they looked into each other's eyes. She ran to him and hugged him, being slightly taller than him since she was older, and hanging on tightly._

" _Don't worry…I'll find a way…I'll save you from yourself…And set you free!", she told him while she sobbed, but young Naruto soon faded away and she was left hugging thin air. She looked around in hopes of finding him again, but all she found was the older Naruto that charged at her, and she stiffened up._

 _Only this time, he had his back turned to her, and he looked at her over his shoulder, with the same ruby red slits that matched the fox's. Sakura saw him reach up to his face with his hand equipped with claws, and slowly ran the claws across his skin drawing blood. From that point, she was pushed from her nightmare back into the reality of the world._

Sakura woke up screaming out, sitting up fast still with tears in her eyes, and she tried to catch her breath while contemplating about what she saw in her sleep. She looked over at her clock on her nightstand next to her bed, realizing she wasn't where she had fallen to slumber, and saw the time. Four AM. "What was that?", she thought. Quickly she jumped out of bed and ran for her door, swinging it open and running out even though it was pitch black in the house. She ran into something that seemed to embrace her with a warm hold, and at first she tried to break away until she heard his voice.

"Sakura its ok. It's just me", he said, keeping her close in his grasp.

"Naruto?", she questioned, unable to see him in the dark, but she could feel him.

"I'm here", he said, resting his chin on top of her head.

She wrapped her around around his torso tightly as she whimpered and cried, not thinking twice if this could be another nightmare, but the feeling of his warmth and caring hold was good enough for her to trust that it wasn't.

"Shhhh", he tried to sooth her and calm her down, feeling her shake in his arms. He guided her downstairs and into the kitchen, sitting her down at the table and turning on a low light, then went to the stove to prepare a tea that would calm her nerves. He gave her a cup of it a few minutes later and sat down next to her, holding her trembling hands to help keep it steady so it wouldn't spill. She took a sip while staring off into space with that frightened look, images of the things she saw playing back over and over in her mind.

"Sakura?", Naruto said to get her attention, and she looked at him. "Are you ok?".

"I'm…Just a little bewildered. It was only a bad dream", she told him, looking down at her cup.

Naruto could tell there was more to it than what she told him, but unlike a couple days before he could tell she didn't want to talk about it any further and so chose not to poke and prod for a real answer. Instead he would be there to comfort her in silence.

Sakura set her cup down and hugged him again, and he returned it this time without hesitance knowing she needed it. She looked at him in the face, being reminded of seeing him administer those scars to himself, but didn't want to believe it to be true. Now feeling more awake, she pulled away and began heading for the stairs. "I'm going to take a shower and get ready for work…", she said in a low voice. "If I'm not back downstairs by the time Ino gets here, just let her in and tell her to wait", she added.

"Are you sure you're ok?", Naruto asked. He wanted to be sure himself that she was fine despite knowing she wasn't.

"Yes, positive. I'll call for you if I need anything, ok?", she gave him a small smile and went upstairs without another word.

"Ok", the blond nodded once, watching her from the kitchen go up the stairs. Whatever it was she dreamt about obviously scared her pretty bad. He only knew she was awake when he felt her chakra take a sharp incline upward through his crystal, and so decided to go check on her just as she had woken up, which was why she had run into him on her way out. He wanted to know what it was that scared her because it concerned him, but he knew that she'd tell him soon in time if she wanted him to know, and if she didn't then he would respect that choice.

Hours flew leading into the brighter morning and then the afternoon, with just a hint of the winter sun peaking behind the clouds, but the snow remained as well as the cold temperatures.

Sakura and Ino had walked to work like usual and were on a mad rush through the clinic at the hospital, taking case after case, admitting some patients with more severe sicknesses than others and overall seeing at least three patients every fifteen to twenty minutes. With nurses who weren't as skilled having to cover Hinata's shift since the Hyuga has been home on maternity leave, Sakura and Ino were a little overwhelmed with having to split the duties between the two of them.

Break time came around and they finally got a chance to sit down. Sakura was exhausted and feeling drowsy, she sat at a table in the break took with her elbow propped on it and her head resting in her hand. She was beginning to fall asleep, due to her restless night before.

"Sakura?", came Ino's voice as the Yamanaka came up to the Haruno and tapped her on the shoulder.

Sakura jolted from her snoozing and looked up at Ino, then sighed and rubbed her face and eyes with her hands. "Yes Ino?", she waited for her to speak.

"You alright? It's not like you to fall asleep at work", Ino said, looking concerned.

"I don't know…I had a nightmare last night and I didn't sleep well either, but I told Naruto I was fine because I didn't want him to worry. I also didn't want him to know what the nightmare was about…", Sakura told her.

"What was it about, then?", Ino asked, curiosity being sparked.

"It…It was about him. I saw him, and he had this evil look to him, like he was going to kill me…", Sakura said, a bit quietly as she thought of it, and her trembling returned slowly.

"Who, Sakura? Was it Sasuke", Ino asked, a little confused as she tilted her head to the side a bit.

"No, it was Naruto", Sakura said. "At first I saw a replay of the day he went up against Orochimaru, when he, Captain Yamato Sensei, Sai and I went to the Tenchi Bridge to rendezvous with the spy Sasori of the sand was to see. Then, I found myself in a dark place as my current older self, and I saw him. His chakra felt ominous, and his eyes weren't his normal blue ones. He came after me but then purposely dodged and disappeared into the dark. Then I saw the younger Naruto from four years ago and he told me there was nothing I could do to save him, that he has that side of him locked away somewhere and he can't escape, but I told him I will find a way to rescue him", she explained.

"O-oh", Ino looked to the side. "Is that why you were up early this morning?", she asked, earning a swift glance from Sakura who looked a bit surprised at how she knew. "Naruto told me when I got there", she said.

"Yeah. I woke up at four AM this morning and decided not to go back to sleep. He sat me down and helped calmed me, but by then I was too awake", Sakura nodded, then shot Ino a glare. "If you tell him, I'll kill you Ino-pig!", she said.

"Wouldn't think of it, Billboard-brow!", Ino said with a slight smirk as she put her hands up in front of her to show surrender.

The two continued on with work after their break ended, but from there Sakura's performance deteriorated as she grew more tired, and a couple times Ino caught her falling asleep again. Finally the Yamanaka had to go find Tsunade, and asked that Sakura be dismissed early so that she could go home and get rest. Tsunade agreed and gave the Haruno permission to leave work sooner.

Outside the hospital, Naruto was waiting for Sakura to get off work so that he could take her out for a friendly occasion and then home, but he kept feeling the changes in her chakra through the crystal and that told him she was tired, and what he didn't quite expect to see was her walk out the door sooner than her normal time, or at least what he figured wasn't normal.

"You're out early, I assume", he said, leaning against the wall next to the doors with his arms crossed as she walked passed him unaware of his presence, but she turned around quickly when she heard him.

"Tsunade is letting me go home so I can get some sleep", she told him, walking back and over to him.

"Nightmare kept you from getting much sleep at all, didn't it?", he asked, raising a brow.

"Yes…It did", she said as she averted her eyes from his.

"Well come on then, I'll carry you there", he said as he lifted her onto his back into a piggy back ride, and she clung tightly to him as he began walking to her house at a slow peaceful pace, and this made her think of if the older Naruto she saw in her dream was real or not.

" _Maybe it's just my subconscious playing tricks on me and making something out of what it's not…He's not an evil person like what I saw…_ ", she thought to herself.

" _Honey, you better hope so! After all, he is unpredictable, so you never know for sure or not if that's how he really is_ ", came Inner's voice inside Sakura's head.

" _I don't want to believe it to be true! That's not who Naruto is! He won't hurt me, or anyone else!_ ", Sakura argued with Inner.

" _Believe what you want, but just know that we all have a dark side deep down, and in this case Naruto's is the fox's shadow_ ", said Inner, just before she subsided and didn't speak again.

" _I know that…_ ", Sakura thought, trying to keep herself from crying, knowing Inner had a point and was right, the fox was Naruto's dark influence no matter how much good there was in his heart. "Hey Naruto?", she spoke up.

"Yes Sakura?", the blond looked at her from the corner of his eye.

"Why exactly were you waiting for me? Was it because of something Sasuke said?", Sakura asked.

"No, it has nothing to do with Sasuke's words. I was a little worried about you, and I was thinking of taking you out to perhaps relieve the tension and get your mind off of that nightmare", he told her.

"Oh. Where did you have in mind? Ichiraku's again?", Sakura asked as she smiled a little.

"Anywhere you wanted. But I thought since you were tired we could do that some other time", he gave a small chuckle.

"I would love to", she said.

"Are you sure? I mean, Tsunade let you go just so you could get some sleep, not to go out. You really want to abuse that?", he asked.

"Well no, but I do think it will help me take my mind off a lot. And, I get to be with you, so it's worth it", she said.

"Alright, if you say so. Any ideas where you'd want to go?", Naruto shrugged a little.

"Somewhere as cheap as possible so the toll isn't hard on you, but not Ichiraku's, if you wouldn't mind. Why not the old barbeque place, Yakiniku Q?", Sakura suggested.

"I sort of figured you'd choose something else, but if that's the place you'd like to go to then we shall go", he said.

"I don't want you to pay a fortune for me", she said, shaking her head negatively.

"Don't worry about that", he turned his head and gave a smile to her.

"But first, could we stop by my house so that I can get out of my work clothes?", she asked.

"Of course", he nodded.

* * *

 _NOTE:_ Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews, favs and follows :D! I didn't think this story would get far (although I did expect it to get further than my Lion King fic, which I still need to update). It's nice to see you guys love it and are enjoying seeing a darker Naruto than we all know. Let me just say, it may only get more dark from here, so as Scar says, BE PREEEPAAAAARRRRRED! XD ok I'm gonna go now. Bye!


	8. Chapter 8: Big Surprises

**Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter 8**

Again, it had grown dark out, and silent. Only shadows wandered the streets as those working late nights walked home, including Ino who had covered extra for Sakura. The Yamanaka was racing home, because she had been told by Shikamaru that there was a surprise in store for her, and she was excited to see what it might be.

Meanhwile, Sakura herself was walking alongside Naruto down the street to Yakiniku Q, as promised by the Uzumaki. She was happy to get to spend some time with him other than at her house or on a stroll, to be able to sit down and really talk to him, and perhaps learn more about the things he's done and been through during his time of absence.

"So, where exactly have you been since the last time you were in Konoha?", asked Sakura as the two were seated at a booth.

"Oh, around. Nothing too interesting or extravagant, and definitely not like my travels with Jiraiya Sensei. No, I hardly left the Fire country but a few times, and I avoided other villages as much as I could. Word of my disappearance must have gotten to Suna real quickly, and I assume Gaara took is as I was marked for rogue, because when I had ran into him once…It wasn't much of a happy reunion. He wanted to know why I stepped out, and I tried to explain but it was hard for him to understand, and what started as a simple confrontation turned into a battle. Luckily I was able to escape from him and he never followed. I never knew exactly why he was in the area at the time of that, but I can only suppose it was for a meeting he had settled with Tsunade", Naruto said his answer.

"So that's why he seemed so tensed up…", Sakura said a little quietly. "But, those scars, they can't all be from one fallout with the Kazekage?", she pointed out.

"And you're right, they aren't. What I did was hunt rogue with an older ninja who was a long time rogue of Konoha himself. The two of us kept the trails safe for travelers, but secretly, and if we were seen or encountered by whoever it was we were protecting then we'd go by code names to keep our identities hidden, while hiding behind masks. In the ANBU, you're not allowed to hold on to your real name and be addressed by it openly, you should already know the purpose of the mask though", he explained.

Sakura did nothing but listen with interest, but then a thought occurred to her. "Wait…So then, those mysterious ANBU Kakashi, Sasuke, Team Asuma and myself encountered on that mission long ago…", she said with surprise.

"I remember that. It was me and the other ninja who I called Setsu Sensei, code-named Uchimasu", Naruto nodded.

Sakura stared wide eyed at him. For the longest time, the encounter with those two unknown ANBU ninja from back some while after Naruto left had bothered her mind, because of how eerie and yet familiar one of them seemed. She saw the flashback in her head, as if it had happened just the day before.

 _They all regathered after the offending band of rogues ran off, the two ANBU stood in front of Kakashi and the others in silence, one holding a couple of long-blade swords and the other holding two kunai, one of which had three prongs._

" _I thank you for your help, you two. But I've never seen you before. Who are you?", Kakashi spoke to them._

 _The one that sounded older answered Kakashi's question with calmness best he could without giving themselves away, but Sakura didn't listen because she was staring at the other one beside him, the one that had spikey blond hair standing from behind his mask which resembled a strange fox-like creature. She could swear that he was looking straight at her, and she could see just a glimpse of sad cerulean blue eyes through his mask. She wanted to say what she thought was his name, in hopes of it being him. Naruto. But her hesitance kept her mouth shut, and she only stared._

" _Come Kyjin, we must go track those rogues before they get too far", said the older ANBU as he placed a hand on the younger one's shoulder, who at the time was a bit shorter than him, thus why the younger one looked up at him away from Sakura._

" _Yes Uchimasu", nodded the younger ANBU, and they both disappeared quickly in the wind that blew by, bringing more silence as Sakura's heart sank at missing her chance of finding her friend._

Her mind reeled back from reality as the last image of the young ANBU faded away to nothing. "You…", she whispered. "You were the one he called Kyjin".

"You don't know much I actually wanted to speak up and say something, to remove my mask and show you, to tell you I was right there…But that breaks ANBU law; you must never reveal your true identity, even to other ANBU squads", Naruto said.

Sakura looked up at him with more surprise at his words. " _He was wanting to say something…?_ ", she thought. "I was too. I wanted to see if it was really you, but I hesitated too much and missed that opportunity".

"Although, I thought you'd somehow figure out that it was me just by my code name", he said.

"What do you mean?", she asked.

"Well, the name is made up from the words Kyuubi, and Jinchuuriki. Ky, being from Kyuubi, and Jin from Jinchuuriki. There is only one existing Jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tails. Well, aside from Sora of the Fire Temple, that is, although he's technically not a real Jinchuuriki because he doesn't actually possess the Bijuu itself", he explained.

"Oh…I never thought of it that way…", she admitted. "But thanks for telling me. That memory has been stuck to the back of my mind because I've been burdened by not being able to figure out or not if that really was you I saw. Now I can get it off my chest", she smiled. "Although, there's just a few things I don't get".

"And those things are?", the blond tilted his head a little.

"One, if you were still within Konoha territory, or at least Fire country, why didn't you return sooner? Two, anything related to the ANBU seems to be pretty hush-hush, so why are you telling me the things you know? And three…What was the _real, true_ reason for leaving?", she asked.

"For the first one, it has something to do with my reason, and for the third my reason is a topic that should not be discussed in a public place such as here. As for the second however, you and a few others who have a large significance in my life are the only ones I truly trust with such secrets, and it's just common sense, plus it is in the past and I do not plan on going back into ANBU for the time being. My ANBU training was not a system validity anyway", he said.

"But what if someone's listening to us? Some people are even nosier than me, like a certain Ino-pig", Sakura looked around to see if anyone might have been paying attention to their conversation.

"Trust me, if anyone was eavesdropping I would know", chuckled the blond.

While the two were talking, another couple walked in through the doors and were seated at the other end, across the room from where Naruto and Sakura sat.

"Hey look, speaking of Ino-pig", the pinkette pointed towards the new arrivals. "And it looks like she's here with just Shikamaru this time. Normally when they're here it's with Choji too".

"Still, I can see they still come around as regulars to this place, just like when they were genin", said the blond.

"Well you remember. Asuma used to bring them here all the time after a completed mission, to celebrate their success. And after he died, they made it a tradition as a way to remember all those times they had with him as a team. Poor Shikamaru seemed to take it pretty hard", Sakura said.

"I remember well. Konohamaru was shattered too, given Asuma was his uncle. After the loss of Lord Third, Asuma Sensei was the next closest thing he had", Naruto told her.

"Aside from you. He looked up to you and treated you like you were his older brother, and you were his only living idol after Asuma's death. He didn't act himself for a while after you left, and whenever people doubted you'd ever return he would make sure they knew of the promise you swore to him, and to never forget it", she said.

"I can just imagine the kid yelling it out too", chuckled the blond.

On the other side, neither Ino nor Shikamaru seemed to take notice in their presence, and were talking with one another as well.

"So Shikamaru, what was this surprise you had for me?", asked Ino.

"Well I know this place isn't some fancy diner or anything like you might have been expecting, but there wasn't a better place I could think of for such an occasion", Shikamaru answered.

"Oh?", the platinum blonde was intrigued.

"Now I know I've always said relationships are such a drag, since they can be pretty dramatic and what not, but we've been able to keep ours in good standing for these few years and I was thinking…", the Nara spoke as he shoved one hand into his pocket for something.

"Yeah…?", Ino said to get him to go on, both curious and a little afraid of what might come next. " _Could he be…Suggesting we break up? Or…?_ ", she thought. Then she saw him stand up, walk over to where she sat and kneel down on one knee. It was then her heart flew as she realized what he was doing. He pulled out a small box and held it up in front of her, and just as he opened it he raised the question that was music to her ears.

"Will you marry me, Ino?", he asked, and held his breath while he waited for her answer.

Ino was flabbergasted. "Shikamaru…!", she began to cry as she placed her hand over her mouth at the sight of the ring. She tried to get her sobs under control before exclaiming "Yes!".

The Nara smiled and stood up as she jumped into his arms to be embraced.

During the whole proposal, the Uzumaki and the Haruno had been watching the two of them.

"How sweet", Sakura smiled, seeing how happy Ino was. She stole a quick glimpse at Naruto without him noticing, and saw him smiling just slightly too.

An hour and a half or so went by and they were out the door, after having congratulated the newly engaged couple. They headed for Sakura's house, with the snow crunching beneath their feet while they remained silent, and Sakura clung to Naruto's arm tightly, but the blond didn't mind.

"Thank you", she said quietly to him.

"No need to thank me", he gave a small chuckle.

Not long after, they were at her front door and walking inside, locking it behind them for the night. She shivered as she removed her coat and hung it on the rack, then looked at him because he wasn't wearing any heavy winter wear.

"How are you not cold?", she asked.

"I've grown immune to the cold because I generate more heat than you or anyone else. It's the hot weather that gets to me", he said with a shrug.

"It seems you're immune to nearly everything else as well!", she teased a little as she lit a fire in her fireplace, then sat on the couch and was joined by the blond. They sat and just watched the flames dance once again.

"You know…We having trained together in such a long time. Maybe we can have a spar or two at some point? I'm curious to see how far you've really gotten", she said.

"Perhaps", he gave a small smile. "I should probably go see Tsunade and settle the matters of that test she told me about", he said.

"Oh. Okay then", she looked away for a few seconds, then leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight", she said in almost a near whisper, and stood up, heading for the stairs to her bedroom.

And again, Naruto wasn't expecting that from her so he was a little surprised once more, and watched her go up the stairs before chuckling, putting out the fire, and disappearing in a flash to see the Hokage.

In Lady Tsunade's office stood a rather irritated Sasuke Uchiha, who was not happy with Tsunade at all.

"He has not been present in Konoha for a whole four years, and right away you offer him the title up front?!", growled the Uchiha.

"There is no reason to be upset, Sasuke! I understand the fact that he has not been here for quite a while, when you had to wait for some time after your return to be given the opportunity and he didn't", Tsunade said sternly, crossing her arms. "However, in my eyes he had already proven himself long ago to be Hokage worthy, and I still believe he is now. I am the one who makes the decision of who takes over after me and who does not, therefore I see those that are fit or the rank, not you", she added.

"You're a twenty year old grown man, you should be acting civil about this anyway", spoke a new voice, and Sasuke turned to see none other than the blond himself.

"Since when did you become so wise, dobe?", asked Sasuke with a bit of an edge to his voice.

"Since back when I realized just how much of a fool I really was, teme", Naruto told him, coming forward and standing next to him in front of the Hokage's desk.

"As far as I'm concerned, he doesn't have any experience in the ANBU training as required, and you want to increase how many years of training is expected?", said Sasuke. Naruto wasn't all that surprised, he had heard of it from Sakura before, but he was not worried with what he knew.

"Only by a year and a half more. A Hokage must be able to protect their village from anything, and that includes by knowing how to fight in combat when facing an enemy directly. Though Jonin are strong, ANBU are stronger, and it also teaches good management of emotions which becomes useful for certain situations", Tsunade said as she stood and walked around from behind her desk to stand in front of the two. There was silence between the three of them all.

"I just don't understand…", Tsunade shook her head. "The two of you used to be close friends, enough to call the other a brother, and now you compete for title of Hokage rashly", she turned her back to them.

"…It seems that", the Uzumaki began to speak. "the two of us have differences we just can't set aside. I'm aware that Lord Fourth and the head of the Uchiha didn't always agree with the other's motives, which ours remain the same and thus still stand against those that oppose", he said.

"My father was a great leader of his clan! The Fourth just didn't see his view of things because he was too blind! That Namikaze went into his last battle too hastily!", growled Sasuke.

"That's enough Uchiha! Had it not of been for Minato, the Nine-Tails would have surely decimated the village! Not only that but if not for him, I wouldn't be here to stop you", Naruto gave his own growl with a glare.

"So he sacrificed himself to save the village, but he also sealed the demon within you! Why look up to him and ignore the outcome of that night, Uzumaki?", Sasuke asked him without flinching.

"Because the time of the fox's attack was also the night of my birth. Not to mention, you are one of those that don't know Minato would not seal the Bijuu into anyone else but his own son, only because you were not present at the time I found out. Perhaps in the eyes of some it is cruel and selfish to put your child through such pain and not be there to wipe the tears away, but I would know better than anyone else except you how much that kind of pain really hurts, and I wouldn't want to see someone other than myself be in such misery. You and I both know, that loneliness is not when you are alone, but it is the feeling of knowing that nobody cares enough to make it better. In my eyes, the Fourth's sacrifice was noble, even if I was the one who suffered the most", said Naruto.

Before Sasuke could say more, Tsunade turned back to face the two arguing men. "It sounds like you've wizened up in the mind, Naruto. I would expect something like that from someone like Kakashi", she said.

"…Four years, of hunting rogue behind a mask that hides who you are, and being unable to utter a word to the very people you had loved at one time when you cross paths with them again…It's enough to turn you into a shadow of yourself, and more than enough time to think about life, where it has taken you before and where it will lead you to. It changes you…And sometimes beyond repair", the blond told her.

"Well, change is just something we can't control, isn't it?", Tsunade shook her head with a small chuckle. "That is enough for tonight, no more arguing, and no more complaining. Naruto, I want to see you some time tomorrow, and bring Sakura with you. Sasuke, you just worry about your training, I can easily terminate it just as I had assigned it to you!", she said sternly, giving them her signature glare.

"Yes, Lady Hokage", both men bowed their heads in obedience, and did not say anything else that would otherwise provoke her already irritated mood, and awaited further instruction from her.

"Dismissed!".

 _NOTE: Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait, I seemed to of hit a dry spell and couldn't write this chapter without giving myself a headache from thinking. And because of that, this chapter seems more like a filler just to get the story flowing, but I'll try to make the next chapter better! Hope you enjoy anyway! Thanks for the reviews, follows, and faves! I appreciate it!_


	9. Chapter 9: Childhood Memories

NOTE: Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait on CHP 9! I was hoping or some replies from a couple people I had PMed, and planned to post this chapter after that. But I've not seen nor heard anything from them so I'll just go on ahead with it. The reason for this note is because in this chapter Naruto is being addressed by a nickname, one inspired from Arganaut's fanfiction "Naruto: Alone". I PMed Arganaut for permission to use this nickname but have yet to receive a reply (if any), so I hope its ok to use it. Naruto may be called said nickname more than once from here on out, so I give credit to Arganaut for it! Happy reading!

 **Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter 9**

When Sakura woke, something felt different, but she couldn't tell what it was. She sat up in her bed, stretching her arms above her head and looking around with a yawn, blinking her drowsiness away. Then it occurred to her. The crystal she wore around her neck, given to her from Naruto. She couldn't recall ever feeling his chakra through it, like he could feel hers through his own. It was new to her, but she could feel the emotion, which felt…Sad. She gripped the crystal with her hand, and held it tight, wondering why these feelings felt so strong. And more importantly, why could she feel it in his chakra?

" _Why is he…_ ", she thought to herself, but as expected Inner came into the picture.

" _Kind of strange isn't it? For him to come back with such an emotionless demeanor and not express any kind of feeling, and then for him to suddenly feel this way. Don'tchya think?_ ", said Inner, which Sakura came to realize there was a point in that.

"Something is not right", she said out loud, and got out of bed. She her robe around herself and left her room, stepping swiftly down the stairs only to find that he wasn't there.

"Naruto? Are you here?", she called, running to the kitchen to see if he was there, but he wasn't. There was no an answer to her voice. That is when she began to feel a little worried, so quickly she ran up the stairs and to her room to get dressed for the cold, and soon left the house in a rush.

She looked around the crowds trying to see if he might be within them, but he was not. She looked around where he would often sit alone outside the Academy, but she didn't see him. She went to Ichiraku's and asked Teuchi and Ayame if they had seen him at all, but there was no sign or trace of the blond. It was then she began to panic.

" _He didn't leave the village again, did he?!_ ", she thought.

" _Sweetheart, you better hope not. He just got here!_ ", Inner told her.

Finally she began asking the other villagers if they had seen him around, but she only got negative answers and no leads. Although, after asking around a good handful of people, she ran into a familiar face. Literally. Before she knew it she was on the ground in the snow, wondering what, or rather who she just hit.

"Jeez. In a hurry much?", the person she ran into asked, sitting up and looking at her. It took her a moment to realize who it was.

"My apologies Kiba. I didn't see you there!", Sakura said, standing to her feet quickly, and lending a hand to help him up.

"Where you goin' in such a rush, huh?", Kiba asked, shaking the snow off himself.

"I was looking for Naruto. Did you know he came back?", she told him.

"Street fox? Yeah I heard the news, but I didn't believe it until I saw him walk by this morning. There weren't any words exchanged but he at least gave a nod as a greeting", Kiba said, crossing his arms.

"Where was he going?", Sakura asked him, wanting to know

"He was heading towards the eastern side of Konoha last I saw him. He didn't look too happy but, from what I've heard about his return, he's changed a lot. I just hope he's still the same when it comes to sparring, this time I'll be ready to beat him at his own game!", he said.

Sakura rolled her eyes but smiled a little at his enthusiasm, since the Inuzuka had been wanting to stake a victory against the blond after the times he had been defeated by him, but also knowing full well that he may still not have a chance.

"Thanks for the info Kiba", she said, walking passed him in the direction she was told Naruto was last seen heading. "And tell Hinata I said hello! We miss her down at the hospital, but she can take as long as she needs to", she stops and turns back to him with a smile that was more sincere, then moved on to find her Naruto.

Sakura looked all up and down all of eastern side Konoha, trying to find him, but only finding dead ends.

"He's got to be around here somewhere…Then again, Kiba did he saw him this morning, and by now that was a few hours ago…", she said out loud to herself.

" _Naruto…_ ", she thought, taking the crystal into her grasp again and standing quietly, looking down at the ground. Again, she felt his chakra, and again it felt emotionally sad. " _Where would you be in eastern side Konoha if you were feeling this way…?_ ", she questioned herself in her thoughts, trying to put herself in his place and imagine why.

"The cemetary!", she spoke out loud yet again as it hit her and she looked up, then rushed off towards the graveyard of long since dead noble shinobi that once stood in Konoha's ranks, as well as non-ninja villagers who were buried there upon request.

It wasn't long until she reached the cemetary, and there in the small distance she saw a tall, blond haired figure standing solo. He seemed to be looking down at a couple of grave stones he stood in front of. She realized then that he had to of been mourning, and there was only two names she could think of that would be on those grave stones he stared at. She put her hand to her mouth to stifle a small quiet sob, just as those two names rang in her thoughts. " _Minato and Kushina…_ ", she remembered the names of his parents. The parents he never grew up with. She saw him kneel down and run his hand over the stones, just as she felt another spark of his chakra through her crystal, and it tore her heart in half.

Naruto may of never truly known who his parents were, but he wish he could have, to see if all he's heard about them was true. Memories of his tough childhood flooded his mind as his hand touched the grave stone of his mother.

" _Why don't I have a mom and dad?_ ", he remembered asking the Third, at the age of five, or maybe six.

" _What are you doing?! I told you not to play with that kid!_ ", was what he would often hear adults tell their children as they dragged them away from him while they protested and struggled for freedom.

" _My birthday is May twenty-sixth, so I'm a Gemini!_ ", he remembered one of his classmates saying to another when they were talking about who's birthday was when, which at the time he didn't know of his own, only that he was thirteen years of age.

" _You just watch! I'll become the greatest Hokage ever! You'll all see!_ ", he would often tell everyone who would pass by and give him a glare, for reasons he never knew of then.

He remembered the time he came up to a stand that had assorted kinds of masks hanging on a wall, and there was one he was eyeing. The clerk turned around and saw him, and out of sudden anger he through it at him, which it then hit him in the face and knocked him down. " _There, take it! Take it and get out of here! You damned demon!_ ", the clerk yelled at him. He looked up to find a group of people gathering around and staring at him with such strange looks.

" _W-why are you all staring at me like that?...What did I do wrong?..._ ", he asked them, but didn't meet their gazes, only looked down as he felt his lip quiver slightly, before taking off to hide away from the world.

He ran his hand over Minato's stone, and remembered the time he was sitting at Ichiraku's with Iruka talking about a recommendation letter to be promoted to a higher rank, like all of the rest of the Rookie Nine. Given he was without parents, Iruka was the closest he had to a figure of the sort and therefore the only one he had that could write the recommendation letter for him.

" _Everyone's parents wrote theirs for them! But I don't have any! That's why I'm asking you Iruka, because you're all I've got! Sometimes I imagine…Just what it'd be like to go home that isn't dark and empty, with a parent to welcome you back and tell you they love you…Instead of having one carved into the side of a mountain and unable to speak back…_ ", he remembered saying to Iruka at that time, which it turned into an argument between the two of them and as a result he stormed out to be alone.

And then he remembered the time he lost Jiraiya, the one that was the closest to a grandfather he had, as well as a great teacher. He took the loss pretty hard, and felt lost himself. He couldn't forget how upset he was with Tsunade for letting the Toad Sage go on the mission that inevitably ended his life, but he eventually forgave her; she couldn't of known the true outcome.

A couple tears escaped him and splashed upon the Fourth's grave stone and soaked into the thin layer of snow that covered it. It had been a long time since he had actually cried, and even longer since the last time he stood over their graves, wishing things could have been different. It seemed this was the only thing that could break through that hard shell of himself he had turned into.

"When someone teaches us a lesson, or rather something we cannot forget and will always remember, that is when they become a greater part of us than we realize. And it is in that, that the future generations will surpass the generations that exist before them. Those were the words that Minato Sensei told to me", Naruto heard someone say, and looked up to his left to find another male figure standing beside him, but it didn't take him long to recognize his old teacher.

"I was beginning to wonder when I'd see you, Kakashi Sensei", he chuckled, looking back down at the grave stones with a slight smile, but his eyes said otherwise, and he stood from his kneeling, standing a little taller than Kakashi himself, but keeping his gaze down.

Sakura had watched Kakashi approach the blond, after he had surprised her from behind by making her jump after he said her name. He told her he would handle it, and went passed her towards Naruto. Now she waited to see how Naruto would respond, hoping it wouldn't turn bad.

"Well, you didn't come looking for me, so I thought seeing me wasn't that important", Kakashi gave a shrug with his normal nonchalant sarcastic tone.

"I didn't know I had to", Naruto said, matching his sensei's sarcasm with his own shrug.

Kakashi chuckled at him, and then stood quietly while watching him look down at the grave stones, seeing just how much his student had physically changed.

"You must have been to hell and back these last four years", he spoke up to the blond.

"You have no idea just how right you are, Sensei. It was hell and more with the things I've seen and faced during that period of time", the blond shook his head.

"Why did you wait until now to return?", asked Kakashi.

"There…Were just some things I needed to resolve, on my own, and I couldn't step foot in the village until then. Otherwise, I would have come back sooner, or perhaps not even left at all", Naruto answered.

"Hmm, I see…", Kakashi gave a single nod, looked down at Minato's grave stone, and then up at the sky. "There comes that time when we all must take the side path that veers us away from the main trail, to see where it leads us and conquer what new beginnings it brings. Rivers divided will once again meet in the ocean", he said.

"I still don't get your metaphors Kakashi Sensei. What is the significance behind that?", Naruto looked at the silver haired copy-cat, then at the sky as well.

"I mean, we all begin on the same trail, but we all follow different side paths, however we all eventually come to a crossroad where we meet once again. In other words, you took a side path and left Konoha, but over time it led you back to the main trail, where you once were before and that is back here in Konoha. It's the way life goes", Kakashi explained.

"So it seems", Naruto said, staring at the sky as more snow began to fall once again.

"You know, back in my ANBU days, a little crow once told me that you do not become Hokage to be acknowledged by the village, but the one who is acknowledged by the village is who becomes Hokage. Just remember that, you're going to need to if you're to beat Sasuke to it", the silver haired copy-cat said, and just as Naruto looked down to look at him he was gone and nowhere to be seen.

Sakura saw Kakashi disappear, so decided to go up to Naruto, and quietly she did.

"N-Naruto? Are you alright?", he heard her voice.

"I'm fine", he told her, gaze traveling back to the grave stones he stood in front of, trying to hide his eyes.

"You don't look fine?", Sakura put her hand on his shoulder for comfort.

He turned around, and looked down at her. "How'd you know I'd be here? Or is it a coincidence we're both here for loved ones we've lost?", he asked.

"I was woken up by my crystal. I actually felt your chakra this time and it felt sad, so I was worried. I tried looking all around the village for you but nobody had seen you. Finally I ran into Kiba and he told me where you were heading. Not to here specifically but within the general area, the rest I figured out myself. I was afraid you might of left again…", Sakura explained, looking down at the last part of her words.

"Now Sakura", Naruto said, bringing her into an embrace with his arms. "I already made a promise not to leave again, and you should know better that I don't break my promises as long as I can help it. I wouldn't leave you again, especially without telling you why. You have nothing to worry about", he said.

Sakura accepted the embrace and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his chest. "Still idiot, you worried me nonetheless. Please don't do that again", she said, calling him an idiot in a playful tone.

"I can't make any promises or guarantees on that, but I'll try not to", he chuckled. They stood locked on a hug with one another for a moment more before letting it go, and when he looked down at her again he smiled, and had that soft look in his eyes once again.

Sakura smiled back at him, heart being mended to one piece again at that sight, and she felt like kissing him right then and there. But as per usual all things good are short lived, as it began to fade from his face and his emotionless now usual frown returned.

"Tsunade wanted to see the two of us today", he told her.

"What for?", she asked, her smile fading too.

"I don't know, she didn't say. When I went to speak with her last night, Sasuke happened to be there at the same time", he said.

"What did Sasuke have to say? If anything at all?", she asked, giving a scowl.

"He was complaining about Tsunade changing the rules, like you had told me of before, and demanded why she was offering me the title of Hokage up front when he had to prove himself worthy first after returning to even be considered qualified enough", he explained.

"Please tell me you two didn't get into a fight?", she said.

"Not physically, but it did become an argument with tension between the two of us. Tsunade eventually stepped in and stopped it from going further. That is when she told me she wanted to see me at some point today, and to bring you with me, but didn't tell me why. The best we can do is obey", he shrugged.

"Alright then, let's go now before she sends out someone to hunt us down", she said, taking his hand and pulling him along, once again. He didn't bother to put up a struggle, but when they got into more crowded streets, they slowed down and she let go of his hand.

"You remember the first time we actually met face to face?", she asked him, hands crossed behind her back, looking up at the sky.

"In the meadow? When we were eight?", he asked.

"Of course! What other time could I be talking about?", she laughed.

"Yes I remember full well", he nodded with a slight chuckle.

"You were by yourself when I saw you. I had always seen you around before, wandering the streets alone. I was always curious about where your parents were, and why everyone looked at you the way they did. I thought, why not talk to you? After all, you didn't seem like as bad of a person as people looked at you to be, and in the long run you became one of my closest friends", she said.

"You seem pretty proud of that", he said.

"Why wouldn't I be? We all have just that one little shadow of evil inside, but whether or not we choose to give in to it is what determines who we become. Some of us choose to follow its influence, like Sasuke, and some of us choose to ignore it by overcoming it's darkness…Like you", she told him.

"A valid point you make", he nodded. "Throughout my life I've learned through pain and hatred the true difference between those that are good and those that are not, and so I've come to realize one thing".

"And what is that?", she asked.

"That it's not the face that make's someone a monster, but it is the choices they make with their life. A reputation is something that defines what we're known for, not who we are, and if that reputation is a streak of bad choices it will soon be apparent to others that you are indeed a monster. The worst choice I could have made…Was nearly unleashing the fox completely", he said.

"…", Sakura was silent at that, and didn't know what to reply with.

" _Is he saying…He considers himself a…_ ".


	10. Chapter 10: Burning

NOTE: Hey guys! I apologize yet again for another long wait. Seems this is to be the routine, as I've started college now and most of my time is occupied by it, which is rather unfortunate. But, I'll at least be trying to work on this any spare time I have available (and depending on my mood), and I don't exactly plan on abandoning or canceling this story either, seeing the lot of you actually enjoy it. I had a basic plotline for this to follow, but I'm scrambled with ideas right and left and have been for a while now so I'm a little indecisive of the details, but I can guarantee it'll be good (I hope in your eyes anyway)! So here it is! Chapter 10! And as a special treat I decided to make this chapter a little longer than the other nine. Happy reading, and feel free to leave a review, I just love reading them!

 **Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter 10**

"Enter!", Tsunade's strong voice boomed from the other side of the door to the Hokage's office, and in walked Naruto and Sakura.

Both the Uzumaki and Haruno were silent as they slowly approached Tsunde's desk with their hands crossed behind themselves, gaze straight forward and attentive.

"You wanted to see us Ma'Lady?", spoke Sakura in a tone of respect towards her teacher.

"Yes. There was something I wanted to speak to the both of you about because it has to do with you two as a team", Tsunade leaned forward and folded her hands in front of her face.

"Well what about Sasuke then?", Naruto dared raise the question, earning surprised glances from both the Hokage and pinkette.

"I already know what his answer would be, and he's already made it clear that he will not step out of ANBU", Tsunade said after a bit of hesitance.

"Why even ask? You know better how he is. It was hell getting him back in the past", Sakura pointed out, crossing her arms.

"I know, and all too well. But regardless, he is still my friend despite all he's said and done, I must at least consider", Naruto said, setting shocked faces on Tsunade and Sakura.

"As I was saying", Tsunade cleared her throat. "I've come to find out that the council has been making a few changes to the rules behind my back, and unfortunately because of it I cannot allow either Naruto or Sasuke become Hokage, at least not yet", she explained.

"Why not?", Sakura asked, while Naruto remained silent expressing only slight surprise.

"The age limit has been set to twenty-five and above instead of eighteen and over, therefore anyone under that age of twenty-five is not eligible for the title, and this counts for Naruto and Sasuke both given them and the rest of the Rookie Nine are only twenty years of age, roughly. I can't change the council's minds either", said Tsunade.

"Sasuke's sure in for a big disappointment then, once he finds out if he hasn't already", Naruto spoke up, looking at Sakura and then to Tsunade.

"I haven't told him yet, and in all honesty I'm dreading his reaction", Tsunade claimed.

"So then would this mean I'd have to go into ANBU? Considering the test you offered isn't as much significance anymore?", Naruto asked.

"That brings me to my next reason for seeing you. It's true the test wouldn't be as important now as it was before today, but that doesn't mean it isn't still important at all. I haven't a single shred of doubt that Sasuke will take the opportunity to put in five years of ANBU until he's met the age requirement for the title of Hokage, which would put you below him if you joined now because he will have finished before you. If you still take the test, I'll still be able to rank you as an ANBU of four years, and if you go into ANBU after that you'll be finished, at the most, nine years, and with that you'd be above Sasuke. There really isn't any other way around it, hopefully the council won't add or change any more rules without consulting me first, and even though it may sound ridiculous I have very slight suspicion Sasuke himself is behind it. But I can't say for certain and I don't have enough evidence to make that assumption" said the Hokage.

"If I may ask Ma'Lady, what does all of this have to do with us as a team?", asked Sakura.

"ANBU in training don't go on missions but rare occasions, which don't happen too often. If you were to take at least two years more Naruto, you'll still be above Sasuke, and you can do that two years before you are of age. So I was thinking of bringing back the name of Team Kakashi to send you on missions once again. There's been high rogue ninja activity reported to be going on outside Konoha, and I think it's best we do something about, by sending out our best teams. Team Asuma has already been assembled and alerted of this issue, I just sent them on their first mission today. Team Kurenai cannot be sent out, with Kurenai now caring for Asuma's child, and Hinata expecting her own, without any replacements. That just leaves you two, Kakashi, and a fourth teammate", Tsunade told her.

"Who would be our fourth teammate then? Are you planning to force Sasuke into taking up team missions again?", Sakura asked anxiously.

"There's always Captain Yamato? He and Kakahsi have worked in the ANBU together before, and so have we with him back when Kakashi was out of commision. Yamato can be Sasuke's replacement", Naruto suggested.

"I figured you'd suggest as much. That's why I went and told Tenz- I mean, Yamato, myself. So that he was aware", a new voice said from behind Naruto and Sakura, who both turned around to see Kakashi and Yamato standing side by side.

"Well well well Kakashi Senpei, seems you weren't lying this time. It really is the knucklehead", Yamato said, smiling at Naruto.

"Not as you would remember him, the kid isn't how he used to be", Kakashi said.

"So you're going to join Team Kakashi again, Captain Yamato?", Sakura asked.

"Please, just call me Yamato. And I thought I might as well, it's been a while and it seems you're in need of a replacement for Sasuke", Yamato chuckled with a shrug.

"Then is it settled?", Tsunade asked, causing Naruto and Sakura to turn back and look at her, then at each other questioningly as they were silent for a minute or two, almost as if they were reading the other's mind.

"We'll do it", both said at the same time.

"Then I hereby reinstate Team Kakashi! I don't have any new missions to give you, Team Asuma took the last one that came in today, but I'll be sure to call you here as soon as I receive one", Tsunade said.

"Ay, Ma'Lady", Sakura nodded.

"Dismi-", Tsunade began to say as she was about to dismiss the newly reinstated team, but she was interrupted by another newcomer.

"Lady Hokage! Lady Hokage!", the newcomer yelled as he ran down the hall to her office and through the open door, passed Kakashi and Yamato, stopping just in front of Naruto, Sakura, and Tsunade herself, seemingly out of breath from having ran perhaps a long distance to get there.

"Kotetsu! What is it?!", Tsunade stood from behind her desk, while the others looked just as concerned and curious.

"There's a fire…In the village! Izumo stayed behind to help put out the flames…But he and the rest of the other ninja were beginning to struggle with the task!", Kotetsu explained.

"What?!", Tsunade's eyes widened, as she and Sakura looked to outside the window, seeing the black cloud of smoke rise into the sky. Tsunade turned back to the others.

"All of you! I want you to go help! I myself will be there to heal any who may be injured!", said the Hokage, being the first to walk out of her office, with the others following, Naruto and Sakura behind her, Kotetsu behind them, and Kakashi and Yamato behind Kotetsu.

The six shinobi rushed to the sight of the fire, and as they drew closer Sakura began to recognize the surrounding buildings and what part of the neighborhood they were in, thus causing her to have a very terrified spark of realization.

"No…!", she said under her breath in a panic, but Naruto heard her just before she rushed on ahead, and he followed her sensing something was dreadfully wrong.

They arrived at the burning building, and to Sakura's worst fears, her thoughts were right; her parents' house was the one burning. She spotted her mother, weeping and a little burned, and she ran over to her with worry. She didn't see her father anywhere.

"What happened?", Sakura asked Mebuki, her mother.

"I fell asleep and I left the stove on! I think your father was upstairs but I couldn't get to him when the flames blocked my path, and he told me to get out of the house", Mebuki explained through her tears, and Sakura's own tears began to brim her eyes as she looked at the building engulfed in flames.

"Mr. Haruno is still inside?", Naruto asked as he too looked at the building on fire, which was slowly spreading to other nearby buildings.

Mebuki nodded as response, and when she looked up at Naruto she realized who he was, and so was shocked to see him. "You…", she said.

"Stay here, I'm going in", Naruto told Sakura.

"No! It's too dangerous! The house could collapse while you're in there!", Sakura cried, but that didn't stop the blond.

"And I'm also a ninja of Konoha, my job is to protect my village and its people from all dangers, no matter the cost. I'll gladly risk my life in trying to save another", he said, and before Sakura could protest more he ran towards the door and disappeared into the flames.

"Was that…The fox…?", Mebuki said with a stunned face in a questioning tone, watching Naruto go in to rescue her husband.

"That was Naruto, mother", Sakura corrected her, never really liking the fact her parents had a rather common dislike towards the Nine Tails jinchuuriki, or that they called him 'the fox' instead of by his name.

"Mr. Haruno! Where are you?!", Naruto called around, coughing from the smoke and trying to block his eyes, using his ears. Before he knew it, he found himself being surrounded by a red cloak of chakra, one he did not have to question to know what it was.

" _Kurama, what are you-?_ ", before Naruto could finish his sentence asking the fox about his intentions, Kurama gave his answer.

" _ **I'm protecting you, kit. My chakra will lessen the damage of getting burned, and once we find Kizashi I will spread it to him and protect him as well. Now hurry! You don't have much more time before this whole place goes down!**_ ", explained Kurama.

Naruto continued his search, while the red cloak of chakra protected him from the flames, allowing him to practically walk through them without being touched. What he wasn't too aware of, was that this was causing Kurama himself to take on the damage, and he could feel the fox weakening slightly, so he quickened his search.

"Mr. Haruno!", Naruto called out once more, and this time received a response.

"Over here…", the weak voice of Kizashi came, before he coughed violently from having inhaled too much smoke and ash.

Having heard the response, Naruto followed it and found Kizashi trapped by a crumbled piece of ceiling sitting on top of his body. Kizashi looked up at Naruto and just barely noticed the red chakra cloak, which almost blended in with the blinding light of the flames around them.

"Who a-are you?", Kizashi asked, then couged again.

"I'm here to get you out!", Naruto told him, not giving his name or his identity, now was not the time for introductions. He knelt down and began to lift the crumbled ceiling off of Sakura's father, and slowly he was able to lift it just enough for Kizashi to crawl out from under it, but the man's injured leg prevented him from moving too swiftly.

"Come on! We need to go!", Naruto said, picking up Kizashi to his feet and throwing his arm over his shoulders to support him, and as Kurama had promised the red cloak soon encased Kizashi as well. The house creaked and parts of the ceiling began to fall, as well as the walls. Naruto was unable to use his Flying Thundergod jutsu, for Kizashi was too weak, and the backlash of the jutsu could be fatal to him, and Kurama too. The blond began to move towards the only exit as quickly as he could.

"Where is Naruto?", Kakashi asked Sakura when he realized the blond was missing.

Sakura did not answer, only looked at the building as it began to sway from the crippled structure while it passed on more of its burning sickness to its neighbors, but Kakashi got the message. He wasn't a water nature ninja, and what jutsu he knew that used water would not be sufficient enough with what little water source there was in the area, so like the rest of the ninja working to put out the fire he had to do it the old fashioned way, with one bucket of water at a time and any snow unmelted by the heat.

" _Please hurry Naruto…_ ", Sakura thought, hoping she'd see him and her father walk out from the fire, but see didn't see either of them, making her worry grow.

Finally, the house began to fall, wall by wall by roof. The flames whooshed out from under it as it fell to the ground, while other buildings burned. Luckily those that lived in the neighboring buildings were able to get out safely with the help of Kotetsu, Izumo, and a few others.

"No! Father! NARUTO!", Sakura screamed, getting ready to run towards the collapsed house, but Kakashi stopped her. There was silence, except for the sound of burning wood and glass, and Sakura felt like crying her heart out. Did she just loose both her best friend and her father? She only hoped they were able to get out ok, but were just somewhere else.

The smoke began to clear just a little, and Sakura was able to see faintly two figures in glowing red chakra walk towards them. She recognized Naruto, and realized Kizashi was with him. Her heart flew into her throat and she felt relief, more tears bursting from her eyes.

Naruto walked with a limping Kizashi at his side towards Sakura and her mother Mebuki, and once he was standing in front of them the red cloak of chakra disappeared, leaving them with little damage, aside from the damage already done to Kizashi.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you so much, fox!", Mebuki said, hugging Kizashi tightly as if she weren't to let go.

"That…Is the fox?", Kizashi asked as he coughed, breaking from Mebuki's hold and turning to face his savior. "I thought he was long gone?", he coughed, looking at Sakura.

But Sakura paid no mind to her father's words, she embraced Naruto in her arms, and whispered "Thank you" to him.

"Don't thank just me. Thank Kurama too, it was him and his chakra that protected us", Naruto said, putting his arms around her. The two stood there in the embrace, being watched by a curious Kizashi and Mebuki. And realizing they had an audience, Sakura broke away and turned back to her father to heal him.

"I'm going to check on the others and make sure they're ok", Naruto said, and walked away, soon being joined by Kakashi, and did as he said he would, while the other ninja were able to get the flames to finally die down.

Everyone seemed fine, just minor burns, a few of the second and third degree, but as far as they could see there were no fatalities; or so they thought.

"Kakashi", Kotetsu called the jonin, who looked up at the sound of his name and walked over with Naruto following.

"What is it?", Kakashi asked, then saw a bit of a bitter look on Kotetsu's face.

"It's Ebisu…He didn't make it out of one of the burning buildings in time…", explained Kotetsu.

Naruto with total honesty was not expecting to hear such news, and looked towards the building Ebisu was last seen heading into with wide eyes. " _Konohamaru…How will you cope with this?..._ ", he thought, knowing the one he called his little brother was not going to take this news too well, not after having lost his grandfather, Lord Third, when he was still in the Academy, and then his uncle Asuma sometime before Pain's attack on the village. Of course both of those losses were years ago, and Konohamaru has had time to recover from them, but Ebisu had been his sensei for a long, long time. To hear this would surely devastate the young Sarutobi.

"How could this have happened?", Tsunade asked, partly to herself but to nobody in particular as she was healing one of Konoha's chunin, who was one of the unlucky to suffer the most severe of burns, and to the face no less.

"Call me crazy Lady Hokage, but I don't think this was an ordinary house fire caused by natural faults", said Izumo, as he came up to stand next to Kotetsu.

"What do you mean, Izumo?", Kakashi asked.

"The smoke was too thick to of been a fire caused by a stove being left on, and although it was faint there was just a slight scent of chemicals in the air, or from what at least I could tell", Izumo explained.

"But wouldn't that be from the families around here having cleaning chemicals and such in their homes?", Kotetsu asked.

"Perhaps. But none of them claimed to of used any paint thinner as of recent, and given the Harunos' home was the first to burn, I was sure to ask Mebuki the same question right at you left to get Tsunade and before any other ninja had arrived. Paint thinner is a rather common fire starter if used properly, and gives off a certain odor when burning. Any paint thinner that may have been used on these places say within a time span of the last five years or so would not have given off the scent", said Izumo.

"Are you suggesting it's arson?", Tsunade asked him.

"Merely pointing out the clues, Lady Hokage, but it's not quite enough evidence to prove as much as I assume", Izumo said with respect.

"Very well, you and Kotetsu will lead an investigation into it. Kakashi, I want you and Naruto to retrieve Ebisu's body if you can, we'll set a burial of honor for him. And Naruto…", the Hokage gave her orders, and stopped when she addressed the blond.

"Yes, Lady Tsunade?", Naruto snapped his attention back to her and the others, thoughts of explaining the events of this tragedy to Konohamaru being put to the back of his mind for the time being.

"I want it to be you who tells Konohamaru and his teammates about Ebisu. Konohamaru seems to trust you more, and will probably be more willing to listen to you, plus he'll need someone he's close with to be there for him when the news of Ebisu's death has been broken and that someone is you", Tsunade told him, trying to keep her tone strong, but her voice betrayed her a little.

"Understood", Naruto gave a nod, showing a look of sadness for the grief Konohamaru and his teammates would soon face, then followed Kakashi to retrieve the body of Ebisu.

And later that day, once the injured were checked into the hospital including Kizashi, dark clouds gathered overhead as if the heavens were going to weep, but all that fell from the clouds were large flakes accompanied by a bone chilling breeze. The flakes covered the remains of Sakura's parents' house, and replaced any snow that had been evaporated away by the fire.

Sakura sat with Mebuki who sat next to Kizashi's hospital bed holding his hand, while the man had an oxygen mask to help him breathe and make it easier on his lungs. He and Mebuki exchanged a few words while Sakura remained silent, with Naruto standing behind her. The blond bent down and rested his chin lightly on top of her head, draping his arms over her shoulders to hold her hands in his, feeling her worry in her chakra through the crystals.

Kizashi's attention turned to Naruto and Sakura, seeing once again that same look on the blond's face from before when he comforted his daughter. And even though Mebuki and Sakura had thanked Naruto for saving his life, he himself had not yet.

"Fox", Kizashi said in a soft tone, breathing through the mask.

Naruto's response to this was him looking up at Kizashi, and standing up straight so that he was not hanging over nor touching Sakura at all, thinking he was upset about him being near her.

"I just wanted to thank you for saving my life, I owe it to you. It seems…I might have been wrong about you, this whole time", Kizashi said.

"You should not have to thank me Mr. Haruno, I was only doing my job like a ninja of Konoha is meant to do, and you don't owe me a single thing", Naruto told him, shaking his head.

"Boy, you've earned some of my trust, I think you have the right now to call me Kizashi. Even though I didn't have much liking towards you before in the past, it pained me to see Sakura in so much tears after you departed years ago, and I couldn't imagine forgiving you for leaving her in such a state without at the very least a proper goodbye…After all, she is my little girl and always will be, I don't care how old she is. But I am grateful you kept your promise and came back…Naruto", the older Haruno said, for once actually calling Naruto by something that wasn't along the lines of 'fox' or 'demon' even, and this made Sakura smile.

"But Kizashi-", Mebuki began to protest, but Kizashi waved her off.

"No Mebuki! Naruto has my acceptance, it would be ungrateful of me to give him the cold shoulder after he has rescued me from the fire. Today has made me realize that life is fragile, and that I shouldn't judge a book by its cover…I should of learned it sooner from Minato. I trust the boy, and it's about time you do too", he said.

Sakura smiled thankfully at her father, happy he had finally come to accept Naruto, and she looked at her mother wondering if she would do the same.

"Naruto", said Kakashi from the doorway of the room, drawing the blond's attention away from Sakura's parents. Sakura herself looked up towards Kakashi, along with Kizashi and Mebuki.

"It's time. Tsunade is waiting for you in her office, while I go find Konohamaru and his teammates", the silver-haired ninja said.

Naruto made a small gulp and nodded his head, and headed for the door, but Sakura jumped up after him.

"I'll go with you!", she said. Naruto stopped, and turned his head to her.

"You should stay here with your parents. You're a family, and they need you", he told her.

"But-", she was caught by surprise when Naruto turned around completely and kissed her on the forehead gently.

"It's ok. They need you more than I do right now", he told her, brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes.

"W-why did…How did you…", Sakura stared at him with wide eyes, absolutely confused, remembering that time when Sasuke had complimented her on her forehead.

"Because your forehead looked so charming, I felt like kissing it", Naruto told her as he smiled a little, then turned and walked out the door leaving the room with Kakashi.

Sakura was shaking. All this time she thought it was Sasuke that had said those words to her, and it only made her more crazy about him back then, but it broke her heart when she tried to confront him about it and he claimed he did no such thing. Now she knew why.

" _That wasn't Sasuke…!_ ".


	11. Chapter 11:Sad News, Sad Hearts

NOTE: Hey guys! I apologize if this chapter seems a little crappy, it felt a little rushed to me. Also I've come to the realization based upon how I've described Naruto's appearance that I may have left the impression of him looking identical to Minato with only a few minor features that are different between them. However, how I intended for Naruto to look in this story was not like Minato at all, but more of an older version of how he looked in Shippuden only with a slightly longer bang of hair and with the scars of course (basically how Naruto imagined himself as in Jiraiya's book _The Gutsy Ninja_ ). You already know he still has his trademark whiskers on his cheeks as seen in chapter 1. As for Sasuke, Sakura and the rest, I'll let you all decide how they look, because I haven't thought that far for the others. Anyways here it is! Chapter 11! Happy reading!

 **Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter 11**

Naruto and Kakashi walked silently down the hospital halls, both thinking of what was to come next. The loss of Ebisu came as quite a shock, and Naruto knew it'd be more than just that to Konohamaru, once he told him. But what was he going to tell him? How was he going to break the news to the young Sarutobi? What was going to happen once he and his other two teammates knew? If Konohamaru was anything like his 'big brother', which he pretty much has been since the two met, then Naruto had a bad feeling he knew just what was to happen from all this.

" _Are you alright, Kurama?_ ", thought the blond to the fox.

" _ **I'm fine kit. But what about you? You're not looking so good**_ ", Kurama answered.

" _I just don't know what I'm going to tell Konohamaru, or even how. He's already lost two people that were close to him, even if that was a long time ago. And Ebisu's been there since a little before he entered the Academy…I just don't want to see him broken_ ", Naruto told his demon.

" _ **Am I sensing emotion? You know the ANBU rule**_ ", said Kurama.

" _I know…And I'm trying not to let my emotion take over, or else that training could go to waste, but I can already see his reaction to this news and I'm not so sure I want to face it…_ ", Naruto admitted.

" _ **You've never been one for cowardice, kit. Straighten up Naruto! You should have known that coming back here would only bring up the emotions and memories you've buried! Don't be so incompetent! Grow a pair and face your challenge!**_ ", growled the fox.

"… _Must you sound so heartless about this? I think I've come to know you better than that Kurama, there's no reason for you to-_ ", Naruto argued, but the fox interrupted him.

" _ **I'm not being heartless. I'm only telling you this because you need to be strong, for Konohamaru and yourself. The Naruto I've known wouldn't give up and run away, for that was against his nindo. Have you stopped following your nindo, kit?**_ ", Kurama said, in a bit of a soft tone.

" _Well it seems I've been betraying my nindo since I first left Konoha. I shouldn't of left because of a simple silly crush I've had on someone since we first met. I gave up and I ran away…And had it not been for Setsu Sensei, I would of…_ ", thought Naruto, as he looked down at his own hand when he mentioned Setsu.

" _ **You had good reason to leave. In your mind, you were saving those you loved from yourself. That one day was when you learned you had to let go, to let her go. But I can tell, you miss being you, the you she loves**_ ", Kurama said.

" _She…Loves?_ ", Naruto thought, a little confused at the fox's words. " _You mean Sakura? The way she's been acting has only been friendly gestures…Last I checked, the crush only went one way, and I haven't even admitted to her yet_ ".

" _ **Are you really that blind? Wake up! Even I can tell she's actually fallen for you, she's not doing what she's done just to be nice**_ ", the fox said.

"… _I…_ ", Naruto didn't know quite what to say to that. He and Sakura had been good friends since for a while, but that was what always kept them from going into a further relationship. Just friends. Just friends and nothing more. But he had always wanted to be more than that with her, and even though he would hint, she would never let it get far. He was beginning to realize now that Kurama might be right, everything she's done since he's been back; kissed his cheek, gave him a place to stay, hugged him tightly, healed his hand even though he said he wasn't worried. She was trying to return the feelings.

"Hey", Naruto heard Kakashi say. "You alright?", asked the silver haired ninja.

"No, I'm not. Tsunade has asked me to tell the news to Konohamaru, and I'm not so sure I can…", Naruto said.

"Without breaking down with him?", Kakashi asked.

"…", the blond was silent.

"I understand this is a tough thing for you to do, because you know just how he'll react, and you've buried your emotions. But like Tsunade said, the kid trusts you more and he looks up to you like family, and in that technicality you're all he has left", Kakashi told him.

"I get that. But I'm afraid to tell him, Kakashi Sensei", Naruto shook his head with a sigh.

"Naruto, listen to me", Kakahsi stopped and placed a hand on the blond's shoulder, which stopped him as he looked at his teacher. "I'm going to tell you this because you _don't_ get it. Thinking you get it isn't the same as actually getting it. Burying your emotions is probably one of the biggest mistakes someone like you could make in their life, and one of the greatest regrets you'll have. You can't be strong until you're emotionally stable, and being emotionless isn't stable at all, it's forgetting who you are and as a metaphor in a nutshell it makes you pretty much radioactively unstable. You have to have feeling in order to love, and if you don't express that, then you can't love. Remember, when someone is protecting something truly special to them, they truly can become as strong as they can be…But, you can't be strong at all without emotion. You were alone, you were rejected, you were sad, and those were all emotions you felt in every fiber of your being. Those are the reasons you became such a strong ninja. Power isn't equivalent to strength, but strength can give you power, and emotion gives you strength. Now do you get it?", the silver haired copy-cat gave his lecture.

"…", again Naruto was silent. He looked down at the ground as Kakashi's words processed in his mind.

"No matter who you are, how strong or how brave you are, or even where you stand now on the path of life, it is _always_ ok to cry", Kakashi said, smiling under his mask and squeezing Naruto's shoulder a little.

"…Thanks Kakashi Sensei", Naruto said as he looked at his teacher again with a small smile of his own.

"Now, do you think you can face telling Ebisu's team the bad news?", Kakashi asked his student.

"I'll try my best", Naruto nodded.

"Good. Head to Tsunade's office and wait there, I'll go find Konohamaru and his teammates", and with that Kakahsi was gone as they both walked out of the hospital doors, leaving Naruto to go to Tsunade's office alone, which he did has he began to think of what he was going to say.

In his mind it seemed almost forever before he reached the Hokage's office doors, and he hadn't found any easy words to tell. He knocked on the door and heard a soft "Enter" grant him permission to go in. Slowly he opened the door and stepped into the dim lit room, light of the gloomy dark sky being the only source of light around. He leaned up against a wall with his arms crossed and sighed, looking at Tsunade who looked down at her desk while she filled out a few papers, then looked out the window.

" _Forgive me Konohamaru…_ ", he thought.

They waited. And waited. And waited for a near two hours, and Naruto was beginning to feel anxious and nervous. To make himself feel calm, he thought about Kakashi's words again and again, telling himself it was ok. So why did he feel like it wasn't ok at all?

" _I'm sorry Setsu Sensei…_ ", he knew he was bound to break, and that all he had learned from Setsu was against showing emotion. If he had to, he would.

Finally, he heard footsteps approaching the office doors, the sound of three teenage chunin. They came straight in, without knocking, but Tsunade didn't reprimand them. Both her and Naruto looked up to meet the gazes of Konohamaru, Udon, and Moegi.

"Kakashi Sensei told us you wanted to see us?", Konohamaru said.

"Yes. There is something Naruto has to tell the three of you", Tsunade said, looking over at the blond.

The time was now.

Naruto let out another sigh as he looked down at the ground briefly, then back up at the three young ninja staring at him.

"What is it, big brother?", asked Konohamaru.

"It's about Ebisu…", Naruto said softly, looking his eyes away.

"What about him?", Konohamaru asked

"Where is he?", Moegi spoke up.

"Did something happen to Ebisu Sensei?", Udon added to the questions.

"Well…", Naruto stood up straight from leaning, and walked over to the three teens, standing on front of Konohamaru. "There was a fire in the village today. Sakura's parents' house burned down, and a couple other buildings were touched by the flames but are still standing, all the other ninja including Ebisu and myself helped out to make sure the villagers were safe", he began to explain.

Konohamaru and his teammates were silent as they listened to Naruto, looking up at him intently and waiting.

"From what I heard from Kotetsu, I'm assuming Ebisu went into one of the burning buildings to make sure there were no other villages trapped inside…", Naruto continued.

"Where is Ebisu Sensei?!", Konohamaru yelled a little, getting scared now as he began to put two and two together.

Naruto hesitated for a minute, and kneeled down with a long sigh.

"I'm sorry Konohamaru…Ebisu didn't make it out in time…", finally he said.

"Ebisu Sensei is…Dead…?", Konohamaru said shakily, tears beginning to brim his eyes, while Moegi and Udon stood there silently with wide eyes and expressions of fear. Even at the age of seventeen, Konohamaru was still a sensitive soul.

"I'm so sorry…If I could have saved him, I would have. It should have been me instead of him…", said Naruto in as gentle of a tone as he could speak.

"But what would I do without my big brother?", Konohamaru cried, looking down but closing his eyes tightly.

Naruto put his arms around Konohamaru and hugged him like a big brother would to comfort him, letting him cry into his shoulder. He could feel his own tears surface, and this time without trying to hold them back, and remembering the things Kakashi told him, he cried too. He let his tears flow freely down his cheeks, also closing his eyes. The two were joined by Udon and Moegi who hugged them on either side. Even Tsunade shed a tear or two at the sight that unfolded in front of her.

Another hour or so passed by and Kakashi came up to escort Ebisu's team back to their homes, but Konohamaru didn't want to leave Naruto, so Udon and Moegi said their goodbyes and left with the silver haired ninja. Naruto as promised went back to the hospital, with Konohamaru following along in a state of gloom. The blond tried saying things to cheer him up, but nothing seemed to work. When they got to the hospital they found Sakura sitting in the lobby of the waiting room.

"There was only enough space in the room for one guest to stay the night, so I let my mother stay with my father", Sakura explained once Naruto and Konohamaru sat down. She looked over at the young Sarutobi and saw his gloomy expression, saddening at it. "How is he doing?", she whispered to Naruto.

"Not so well…He took the news pretty badly", Naruto answered.

Sakura noticed that Naruto looked like he had been crying, his eyes looked a little puffy and red, and that he was trying to avoid her gaze.

" _Was he…? Did he actually let his emotions show?_ ", she thought to herself.

" _Poor guy. It's not the first we've seen him like this, but that was forever ago. Doesn't it make you wanna hug him?_ ", Inner spoke up.

Naruto put his hand up to his face and rubbed one of his eyes, but this brought Sakura out of her thoughts as she saw it was running in the direction of his scars, and she stiffened as she remembered what she had said to Ino before about what observations she had made about them as well as the nightmare she had of him clawing his own face. In an eerie way, the scars matched the width of his fingers and the path of which they ran across his face.

" _A self-inflicted injury…_ ", she thought back to what Ino said, which she denied because she swore Naruto wouldn't do such a thing, but now she was beginning to have second thoughts and doubts of if what she claimed about him was true. But she should it off. " _No…It has to be from something else!_ ", she thought.

" _You do know the truth is going to hurt more if you keep convincing yourself that's what it is when it could be something else, right?_ ", Inner crossed her arms with an annoyed expression, but Sakura more or less ignored her.

"Sakura?", Naruto's voice snapped her out of her thoughts again, and she looked him in the eyes.

"What is it?", she asked, blinking a couple times.

"Did you hear my question?", Naruto tilted his head.

"No? What'd you need?", she shook her head.

"I asked what are we going to do now? Do you plan to stay here for your parents?", he asked.

"I don't know", she sighed tiredly, leaning back in the chair she sat in and running her hand through her hair. "I don't want to make you two stay here if you don't want to", she said.

"You don't have to worry about me, but there's nobody to stay with Konohamaru except myself, and I don't think he should be left alone tonight if he's anything like me", said Naruto, almost mumbling the last five words, but Sakura caught it all and looked at said seventeen year old.

All the while Konohamaru was silent and had his head down as he slouched in his chair, acting oblivious to his surroundings. Ebisu was the one who took care of him, he didn't have his parents, uncle or grandfather. What Kakashi said to Naruto was truth; all Konohamaru had left was the one he called big brother. Without a sensei for missions his team didn't have a chance to pursue their ninja careers any further, what they knew was enough to get by but there was still so much they had to learn, and without Ebisu it would be hard to become a jonin.

"Here", Sakura said as she handed her house key to Naruto. "You and Konohamaru can stay at the house so you're not stuck here, but I'll stay here tonight in case my parents want or need me, I'm concerned about my father's breathing. I'll be home when I'm sure he'll be-", she said, before Naruto stopped her by speaking up.

"No, don't worry about it. I can take Konohamaru back to his place and stay there with him at least for the night, but for however long he needs me. He might be more comfortable being in his own house anyway, where everything is familiar to him", said the blond as he handed back the key.

"Oh. OK", she said, looking down at the key and then at Naruto as he stood up.

The blond nudged Konohamaru with his hand to get the Sarutobi's attention, which he looked up at Naruto questioningly.

"C'mon little brother, let's get you home", Naruto said, which in response Konohamaru stood up slowly and shoved his hands into his pockets, but kept his gaze down, and followed Naruto to the doors.

"Bye Sakura", Konohamaru said softly as they walked by.

"Take care, alright?", Sakura waved to him, watching him with a sad look in her eyes because she felt sorry for him.

" _At this rate, he will have suffered nearly as much trauma as Naruto had. Although, being a jinchuuriki hated by the entire village without any family at all, and being someone who loses family gradually over time until there's no one left are two completely different things. But either way, it sure has taken a toll on him. I wonder what Naruto meant by what he said about Konohamaru being anything like him?..._ ", she thought.

The two left the hospital and began the long walk to where Konohamaru lived in silence.

" _ **Looks like you've got your plate full**_ ", Kurama said in Naruto's head.

" _Right about that. But you heard what Kakashi said, and Ebisu was his guardian. So what else am I to do?_ ", Naruto responded, looking down at Konohamaru who kicked a couple rocks along as he walked next to the blond.

" _ **At least he has you. You didn't really have anyone to look up to or rely on the way he looks up to and relies on you**_ ", the fox pointed out.

" _Well I had Kakashi Sensei, and Iruka Sensei, as well as Sakura, Tsunade, and others of the Rookie Nine, and even Konohamaru himself. But you're right. After Jiraiya Sensei was lost I hid within my own shadow, and wouldn't really talk to anyone. The tragedy that happened today is almost a near repeat of that, and Konohamaru is like my reflection when I was around his age. I just hope he doesn't do the same thing…_ ", Naruto thought.

" _ **What? Hide from the world?**_ ", the fox tilted his head even though only Naruto had the ability to see it.

" _That's exactly what I mean_ ", Naruto frowned.

" _ **Try not to dwell on it too much kit. He holds your nindo as his own with pride, and if he's as stubborn as you were at that age he won't give up or back down easily. This is an obstacle he has to learn to get passed like you had, and once he does it'll be nothing but an old scar in his memories**_ ", Kurama said.

" _You've been right before, so I hope you're right about that_ ", Naruto chuckled a little in his mind, but his expression on the outside didn't change from his frown. He looked over at Konohamaru again and he felt a sad tight feeling in his chest at the shadow that covered the seventeen year old's eyes in his gloom. He reached his hand over and rested it atop Konohamaru's head, ruffling his hair a little.

This caused the young Sarutobi to look up at the blond, seeing a slight smile matched with sad eyes on Naruto's face illuminated by the streetlights. He looked back down again at his feet and hesitated before speaking in a voice that came out as a bit of a squeak.

"Big brother Naruto, can you make another promise?", he asked.

"What kind of promise, little brother Kono?", asked the blond.

"Will you make sure you always come back alive? Grandpa, Uncle Asuma and now Ebisu sensei, have all died in the line of duty protecting their village and its people. I don't want to see you go the same way, and I sure as hell don't want to have to attend your funeral", Konohamaru said.

"Heheh", Naruto chuckled. "I suppose I'll try my best to make sure I come back with a still beating heart", he said.

"Pinkie promise?", Konohamaru smiled a little as he raised a brow at the blond's words 'I suppose'.

"Count on it", Naruto nodded with an eye wink as the two of them crossed pinkie fingers together to ensure the promise was solid.

But not all promises made are promises kept.


	12. Chapter 12: Getting Passed the Past

NOTE: Hey guys! I'm very, VERY sorry for not having this out sooner! I've been going thru a lot of shiz since November…Ish, December…Somewhat, I lost track. Just the last couple months, to put it that way! And on top of that I've had college to worry about, along with this stupid writer's block I just couldn't get passed, so I hope this chapter isn't boring. Anyway! Enjoy the long awaited update! Love reading new positive reviews! Thanks for sticking with this! Happy reading!

 **Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter 12**

As Naruto and Konohamaru continued to walk along in the snow laden streets, with the young Sarutobi still silent from the impact of the news about his now late sensei, the surroundings they were coming into were beginning to look rather familiar to the older Uzumaki. More so than any other part of Konohagakure. He looked around, recognizing a few buildings immediately, others within a few seconds after observing their appearance, and then some almost not at all with the reparations that had been made to them during his absence. He knew just where they were heading, but he had to be sure.

"Hey Konohamaru, just where do you live anyway?", he asked, looking at the young Sarutobi.

"Well, you see…", Konohamaru broke from his vigil to look back at Naruto. "When the village learned of your departure from Konoha, some of the villagers began to complain about the fact that your place was considered vacant and free game without you here to live in it, especially the folks around this part of the neighborhood. And they knew Lady Tsunade would have to let someone have it eventually", he explained.

"Sakura told me something about that, and she said Tsunade did in fact give it up to somebody", Naruto said, giving a slight grin and a suspicious eye with a raised eyebrow towards Konohamaru.

"But not just anybody", Konohamaru gave a bigger grin as he held up the keys to the door of Naruto's old apartment. "I thought if anyone should make use of the vacancy, might as well be me. That way at least no stranger is living in your old place, and if you had returned and wanted it back, I'd give it to you. Lady Tsunade was happy to give the keys over to me, because she knew I'd treat it well, and that I was someone you knew you could trust", he said.

Naruto gave a chuckle, looking straight ahead.

"Wait…You're not mad, are you?", Konohamaru asked as his grin dropped into a frown.

"Mad? Why would I be? You're right, you are someone I know I can trust, but I'm not going to take it from you", Naruto said, looking back at Konohamaru.

"So then, you don't want it back?", the young Sarutobi asked with slight confusion.

"It's yours now. I was thinking, that if I ever did return, of looking for a new place anyway. Now that I'm here I just need to start looking, I don't want to continue to burden Sakura, especially since now her parents will need a place to stay as well for the time being. Besides, you can consider it as almost like a hand-me-down, and that's what older brothers do for their younger brothers isn't it?", said Naruto, even though he had never grown up with any real siblings of his own, none to look up to and none to look up to him. He was always curious about what it was like to have a brother, a reason why he'd side glance at Sasuke and the ties he had with Itachi. Although, for a good amount of time, he saw Sasuke as a brother for a while. But that bond was shattered long ago. Konohamaru began calling him big brother on his own.

The young Sarutobi's frown molded into a grin again. He was glad to have someone like Naruto there for him. "Well…If you ever change your mind, let me know ok big bro?", he laughed with a shrug. Then he saw Naruto hold a fist out to him with his knuckles facing upwards, and looked back up at the Uzumaki's face to see faintly that smile he always saw adorned on it unless he was serious, mad or sorrowful, and in his cerulean blue gaze there was a trace of that warm glow he always held in them. Konohamaru smiled wider and touched his own knuckles to Naruto's in a fist bump.

"I'll be sure to do so if we come to that bridge", said Naruto.

Meanwhile back at the hospital, Sakura had not left the lobby, being worried about her father's condition but too worried to even see him in the hospital bed with a mask over his face to help his breathing along. She sat quietly with a paper cup of tea in her hands, but she had not taken a single sip of it. She looked down at her lap with a look of gloom, many thoughts racing through her mind about her father, Konohamaru with the loss of Ebisu, and Naruto which worried her most.

A few minutes into thinking she felt a familiar hand on her shoulder, and turned her head to find herself glancing up at her old sensei Kakashi.

"You doin' alright there, kiddo?", Kakashi asked.

"I'm just…My mind is so full of thoughts all at once right now it's like it's blank, and I can't seem to think of anything else", she says, turning her gaze back to looking down at her lap.

"So much has happened in this last week or so hasn't it?", Kakashi spoke as he walked around her to sit in one of the chairs with her, and as a response she nodded silently. "Listen, Sakura…I know you're worried about Naruto and other things. But him…He's in a lot more pain than you may realize", said the silver-haired ninja.

"What do you mean, Kakashi sensei? Last I seen he doesn't show pain anymore, or even feel it", she asked with a little scoff.

"He may be emotionless, but he's feeling pain on the inside, deep down", said Kakashi.

"…How do you know?", Sakura asked, becoming intrigued as she set her tea down on the table in front of her.

"Because I've been in his place…", Kakashi mumbled.

Sakura looked sharply at her old teacher, a little confused at what he meant. Nobody could ever know Naruto's pain, except someone like Gaara who's been through the same thing the two jinchuuriki have. She always thought Naruto and Sasuke shared the same pain which was why they had the bond they did, but she learned over the years that those things were different and nothing alike. What would Kakashi know?

"Been…In his place?", she repeated in a question.

"The first rule of the ANBU is to show no emotion. Ninja are taught first hand to bury and ignore them, to become this ruthless shadow of who they are on the inside. Back when my team was alive, I acted a lot like Sasuke, being boisterous and a cool showoff. Obito was a lot like Naruto, always getting jealous of me because I seemed like Minato Sensei's favorite, and he always tried to out-best me too, like Naruto and Saskue. Rin was a lot like you, caring for her friends and teammates and only wanting the very best…But Obito and I, we both loved Rin, we just wouldn't admit it…Obito passed, and from then on it was just Rin and I, not counting Minato. But it was during battle against some Kirigakure ninja…And Rin had requested that I take her life, knowing Konoha would be in danger if she was alive…I couldn't bring myself to do it, but she had intercepted my attack and impaled herself with my Chidori. I couldn't forgive myself after that…Being the only one left of my team, again excluding Minato, I joined ANBU when Minato Sensei assigned me to it…And I forced myself into killing my emotions, seeing it as the only way to get passed the deaths of my teammates, both I feel at fault for…But those feelings never went away, and I became ruthless in combat. I know now that that was the biggest mistake I could have made, and now it is hard for me to express much emotion. I'm still haunted by my past and only wish I could change it for the better. I still feel pain every once in an often while, and I regret the choices I've made. I can tell that Naruto is in the near same situation, and he's regretting it, with pain he feels but doesn't show", Kakashi explained, even though it was a little off topic from the point he was trying to get at.

Sakura all the while listened to her old teacher, and began to understand just a little of what he was trying to say. "So…Even though he doesn't show it or seem like it at all, Naruto is still in pain?", she asked.

"That about sums up my long winded explanation", Kakashi nods with a small chuckle.

" _That would explain why I saw the younger self of him in my dream, and why he told me all those things about being locked up…That's the part of him that's in pain deep inside, the part he doesn't show…_ ", Sakura thought.

"He said something about worrying for Konohamaru and staying the night with him if he's anything like him…Kakashi Sensei, what would Naruto mean by that?", she asked.

"…", Kakashi was silent as he turned his head away, leaving Sakura waiting for an answer, and finally he spoke. "A long time ago, when Naruto was about six or seven years old, we had found him nearly dead after he had cut himself and nearly committed suicide…It was Minato's dying request that Lord Third look after him, so of course Lord Third gathered his best and most trustworthy ninja, myself and Iruka included, to make sure he stayed out of trouble. But the knucklehead always managed to stir up some sort of chaos, and it was only to draw attention to himself. Almost all of the villagers at that time hated his guts and wanted him dead, they would always call him names. Well I guess one day he finally understood what those names meant and snapped. He caused a big ruckus in the village and had gotten a couple of chunin to chase him in pursuit. He had managed to steal a kunai from one of them and escaped, my guess is he headed home after that. We found the blade of the kunai covered in his blood the day we found him in his apartment barely alive, and two cuts on the lower side of his neck that showed evidence of it being from the kunai…However, that's not what nearly killed him. When we found him he was in the middle of having a serious panic attack and he couldn't breathe, his heart was racing too fast, which in turn made him lose blood faster than he should of. Lord Third made the report about the event but put it under classified status, only Iruka and I knew about it. We were told never to discuss it to anyone, but I feel as you being his teammate and I his teacher, that you should know the truth", Kakashi told to her.

This left Sakura in shock and she gasped at the story, eyes wide. Never before had she ever thought of Naruto to be the type that would do such a thing to himself, aside from that one day when he had drove a kunai into his hand on purpose during their mission to protect the bridge builder, Tazuna of the Land of Waves, and that was just his own plain stupidity in trying to prove himself fit enough to go on with the mission.

"I…I never knew that…", she said in a quieted voice as she looked down. "He never said anything about it…".

"Nobody did. Those that knew kept it a secret, and it was up to Naruto if he wanted to tell anyone else or not. As close as you two were four years ago though, I was sure he'd tell you, since he saw you as a close friend he trusted deeply", Kakashi said.

"I guess he didn't trust me enough…", Sakura said sadly. Although, she couldn't blame Naruto, after all they were friends but she always beat him around every time he acted stupid. She didn't realize how much pain that must have caused him after he had already been hurting inside, before now.

"That's about all I'll tell, you can ask him about it if you want'a know more", and with that, the silver-haired ninja stood up and walked away with his hands shoved into his pockets.

Sakura's thoughts wandered back to Naruto's scars on his face, and what she saw of them earlier when he was there with Konohamaru. " _A self-inflicted injury…_ ", she thought again.

" _And I never even knew…_ ".

"Damnit! The door's jammed again!", Konohamaru said in a frustrated sigh as he tried to get his apartment door to open after unlocking it with the key, but it wouldn't budge.

"Guess I should'a gotten that problem fixed while I was still here", said Naruto as he pinched the bridge of his nose with one hand and crossed the other over his torso just below his chest. "Why I didn't, I don't know", he said as he then scratched the back of his head.

"It does this every now and then, and I really hate it sometimes, especially when it's raining really hard and I'm getting soaked while fighting with the door!", Konohamaru said, still trying to get the door to open.

"Here, there's a little trick to getting it to work", Naruto told him, moving Konohamaru aside and standing in front of the jammed door. He took out two kunai and stuck one in the top between the door itself and the frame, while sticking the other on the hinge side near the top as far as both would go, and then twisted the door knob, pulling on it, and like that the door moved. He removed the kunai and opened the door fully.

"Wow. I'll have to remember that one!", Konohamaru said, impressed with Naruto's trick, and then went inside followed by the blond who closed the door behind them.

"Sometimes it gets a little stuck on the frame, I figured that out one day when it jammed while I was inside, trying to leave to meet Sakura and Kakahsi for a mission. I used the trick then, so the next time it jammed while I was outside I tried it again and it seemed to work. I think it's best just to get a whole new door", Naruto said with a shrug.

"Bet that sucked huh? Getting locked in your own house", Konohamaru chuckled and he flipped a light switch to brighten up the room a bit.

"I think at that time I was more worried about having to call for help than being late in meeting my team. Although I almost climbed out a window, but I tried that once before and got stuck", Naruto laughed a little.

Konohamaru laughed with him, which it turned into a mild chuckle until he stopped and looked down, smile fading away. "Without Ebisu to check up on me, it's going to be a lot more quiet around here…", he said in a saddened tone.

Naruto frowned and walked up to him, placing a hand on the young Sarutobi's shoulder. "I know, but the hardest thing about losing someone isn't the fact that they're gone, it's more the fact that you'll have to move on without them. And naturally we don't want to move on, because then we'd forget about them when we don't want to let go", he said.

"Well, how did you get past losing that old pervy guy?", asked Konohamaru as he looked up at Naruto.

"Pervy Sage?...Haha, it's been too long since I referred to him with that nickname", Naruto chuckled at that realization. "When I found out that Jiraiya had been killed in battle, I lost it…For a little while I wouldn't speak to anyone because all I wanted to do was be alone, and I ignored pretty much everything, even Sakura…I couldn't think straight and that led to more reckless behavior, and I felt I couldn't move on. But I've learned that time only moves when you do. How long are you going to grieve? How long are you willing to not let go? How long are you willing to run from the truth? How long will it be before you accept that it happened and you can't change it? I moved on when I was ready to and I let go, and from that point forward I began to turn myself around. I still remember him and it hurts, but that's natural, it's going to hurt whether you want it to or not. Saying goodbye is never going to be easy, but there's just some things we have to jump over, even if we're not ready", he said.

Konohamaru was silent as he listened and remained silent after Naruto had finished speaking. He looked down and then over at a framed picture of him and his team with Ebisu standing behind him and his teammates. He stared at the photo for a bit of time, before looking back up at Naruto.

"How will I know when I can move on?", he asked.

"You'll know when you're ready to leave the past within the past", said Naruto.

Konohamaru didn't speak another word, only nodded a minute or so at that, and then let a small smile creep onto his face again. "Thanks big bro", he said.

"Heh, no need to thank me", Naruto said, as he playfully brought him into a headlock and gave him a rough noogie to the head.

"Hey!", Konohamaru cried out but laughed as he struggled to get out of the headlock, although with no luck.

Naruto let him go after laughing a little himself, and patted Konohamaru's head after having messed up the young Sarutobi's hair.

"I'll get you back for that!", Konohamaru laughed as he fixed his hair.

"Good luck! It'll take a lot to catch me off guard!", said Naruto as he crossed his arms, but smiled anyway.

"I'll catch you off guard somehow!", said the young Sarutobi with a determined look.

Naruto chuckled at his determination, recognizing it as his own. "You should get some sleep, you might feel better in the morning", he said.

"Yeah, maybe you're right. Think we might be able to do some training tomorrow or something'?", Konohamaru said.

"Maybe", Naruto nodded.

Konohamaru held out a fist to Naruto and got another fist bump in return from the blond, before disappearing down the short hallway going to the back room.

Naruto went and sat on the couch, and sighed.

" _He seems so much more cheerful than I did when Jiraiya died_ ", he thought.

" _ **And maybe that's a good thing, it could mean he's not like you thought, and might take the loss better than you did when you lost Jiraiya**_ ", Kurama responded in his thoughts.

" _Yeah, I guess that's true…What do I do if he's exactly like I thought though? And avoids everything and everyone like I did?_ ", Naruto asked.

" _ **Just be there for him. That's all you can do. You can't bring Ebisu back for him, and you can't change what happened. It is what it is. Show him support**_ ", Kurama told him.

" _I guess that's true too, but…I do wish I could do those things for him. He doesn't deserve to lose his sensei, not like this_ ", thought Naruto.

" _ **And you didn't deserve to lose Jiraiya, or your parents for that matter, but it happened and it's in the past now, take your own advice and leave it there**_ ", Kurama said.

" _My parents…I never knew them, it doesn't hurt as much as losing someone I did know…_ ", Naruto thought.

" _ **But I know it still hurts regardless how badly…Look Naruto, you know I was being controlled the night that happened, I've told you this…But I'd be lying if I said I didn't have regrets, and all I can say now is sorry. I can't take it back, even if I did hate being locked up as Kushina's Bijuu, but back then nobody was willing to be a friend rather than an enemy to me**_ ", Kurama said.

" _I always did wonder why you agreed to this alliance anyway, I don't think you ever said. So explain yourself_ ", Naruto thought with a chuckle in his head.

" _ **Teh, demanding are we? Fine…I agreed, because I realized that as much as you hated my power, you didn't have the same hate towards me as my previous jinchuuriki have, as well as the rest of the world. In a way, I admire you, because after all you've been through, you still find reason to care for those that have hurt or wronged you, even Sasuke. But maybe with the exception of a few that we both truly despise. Naruto, do you know why my hate is the purest?**_ ", Kurama began explaining and ended with a question.

" _No. I always thought that was just your nature as the Nine-tailed fox_ ", Naruto answered.

" _ **Wrong. It is because through the time I've lived to see things happen in this world, I learned that all humans are the same, and always say the same damn thing! Monster, demon, killer…Do any of those words sound familiar to you, kit?**_ ", Kurama growled.

"…", Naruto didn't answer that time, he knew too well the familiarity of those words.

" _ **I learned I could not trust humans, as they didn't trust me. They showed hatred towards me because I was something they couldn't understand or explain, an unnatural force that shouldn't even exist in their world, a force that is not of any nature they know…So, when I learned I couldn't trust humans, I began to hate them too, and that hate grew to be the purest of all nine of us Bijuu, the strongest hate of all. Over time I became blinded by my hatred, wanting to seek revenge and destroy everything…And my previous jinchuuriki thought nothing of me in a kind manner nor did they care, but with my hatred I didn't care either because I utterly despised them. Until you came along. You, I thought you were going to be the same as the others, careless or afraid or even hateful. But you seem different, you care more than what I have ever seen in my lifetime, aside from when the Sage of Six Paths brought me and the other eight Bijuu into existence. It even surprised me when you pulled Gaara out of his hatred, just by showing him genuine understanding, and the will to be a friend. You may not want my power, but I can tell you still care, just by the way you talk to me. All I've ever been in misunderstood like you, and because others don't know the truth of what I just told you, they have the wrong perspective of me…When life is cruel, hatred runs deep, but unlike most you didn't let your hatred consume you…Like how I let mine consume me**_ ", the fox said.

" _Kurama…I had no idea…_ ", Naruto thought.

" _ **And many others still don't. You're the only one that knows. I never told Kushina, or Mito this truth. But the truth to that is because I didn't trust them to know. You showed me I could trust you, you trusted me. And for that, I thank you**_ ", Kurama said.

" _Well, I'm sorry I ever showed negative emotions towards you before in the past, I can only imagine that must have hurt_ ", Naruto thought.

" _ **At that time, I couldn't have cared less, because I had the idea that you were going to treat me the way everyone else has**_ ", Kurama let out a slight chuckle.

" _I suppose so. The past is in the past right? And that's where it will stay_ ", Naruto also gave a slight chuckle as he thought.

" _ **Kekeke. You should take some more of your own advice and get some sleep. You'll need to be well rested if you're going to train with Konohamaru tomorrow. After all, we teach the younger generation to be better than us, and be it twenty or more years down the road, he will surpass you**_ ", Kurama said with a yawn.

" _Hm, and when he does, I hope by then I'll be able to pass on the title of Hokage to him_ ".


	13. Chapter 13: Konohamaru's Promise

NOTE: Hey guys! Sorry for another late update! College has been heavy on the workload again, especially math class, and I've been struggling a little to keep up. I only wrote this though because recently my house was broken into, my 32" flatscreen tv, couple of game consoles, and some valuable jewelry were stolen, so aside from my school work I'm kind of without entertainment right now, thought writing a new chapter would be enough to keep me occupied and hopefully take my mind off the events of what has happened here. Don't worry, I'm plenty mad that someone would do this, but there's not much anyone can do about it except hope for the best. Anyway, on to chapter 13! Happy reading!

 **Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter 13**

That next morning rose slowly with a pale sun, the light of it making the snow sparkle. Naruto had already been awake on the couch when Konohamaru got up, and it seemed neither one of them had slept much at all. While Naruto sat with his legs crossed, hands in his lap and head down with his eyes closed as he breathed steadily in a meditative state, Konohamaru came out from his room as he yawned tiredly.

"Mornin' Ebis-", Konohamaru spoke, rubbing a weary eye, but stopped himself in his sentence as well as his tracks when realization hit him once again that Ebisu wasn't there, and this had drawn the blond's attention from his meditating. "I mean, Naruto….", he said as he turned to the older ninja who sat looking right at him with a small hint of worry on his face.

"Morning Konohamaru", Naruto said.

"Isn't it too early for you to be up?", Konohamaru asked with another yawn as he went and sat next to his blond superior.

"I could ask the same thing about you!", said Naruto with a bit of a huff as he turned his head away but kept his gaze on Konohamaru from the corner of his eye. "Kakashi came to the door earlier, told me that Ebisu's funeral will be held before noon today, and gave me something from Tsunade that would be better to wear to it", he added.

But Konohamaru didn't speak, only slumped at the news. He never imagined he'd be attending his Sensei's funeral until he himself was far much older than now, and he was beginning to have second thoughts about going. Naruto turned his head towards him again, and after about a moment of silence he stood up.

"Come on kid! Don't give up now! You're too strong to let this bring you down!...", Naruto told him, which was perhaps a shard of the old Naruto that was talking, keeping his eyes on the young Sarutobi with a more serious expression than what he had a few minutes ago. But then he looked away with a quiet sigh and his worried expression returned. Konohamaru looked up at him briefly with eyes that were dull looking, then looked back down and stared at nothing in sadness. "Please Konohamaru…You can be like me on a lot of things, but please, don't be like me on this…", he said, without looking back at him.

Again, Konohamaru lifted his chin and looked at Naruto, a little curious about what it was he meant by that. "W-…What do you mean?", he asked carefully.

Naruto sat back down, and this time with a kunai in his hand, one who's blade looked old and worn down to a blunt edge. The blond fiddled with the kunai in silence before speaking.

"In the past I couldn't handle loss too well…Losing Jiraiya Sensei really hit home for me, and I blamed the world as well as myself for letting him go on that mission. The world became blank to me, and I was numb to it. Adding Jiraiya's death to all the other things I was facing back then, it was a heavy weight I was slowly breaking under. Lashing out became almost a first reaction to everything, and I even yelled at Sakura at one time when she didn't deserve it…", Naruto explained, then looked at Konohamaru again. "…Between you and me, a couple of these old scars I bare are reminders of that pain I felt when I lost someone close to me. And I don't want you to end up doing the same, chasing away your friends and being someone nobody wants to be around…", he said.

"So then what should I do? I've already lost my grandfather and my uncle, and now my Sensei! I had a bit of a hard time trying to recover from those losses! My friends and I may not even get to continue our careers as ninja if we don't have a team leader to take us out on missions!", Konohamaru yelled a little as he jumped to his feet, turning back towards Naruto with a frustrated frown. "Everything my team has worked for is probably useless now, because without Ebisu we're not really much of a team, you know every ninja squad must be made of four people! I still remember when you and Sakura had to team up with Sai and that weird Yamato guy when Kakashi was out of commission. Not only that, but Ebisu was assigned to be my guardian, and even though I'm old enough to look after myself it's just…", he said again in a raised tone, then put his hands on his head in frustration and tensed up, before taking in a deep breath and letting himself relax as he exhaled, then his arms dropped back down to his sides.

Naruto stood up and in front of Konohamaru, looking down on him with a mixed expression of slight anger and sympathy. He put his hands on the young Sarutobi's shoulders with a bit of a tight grip, causing Konohamaru to look up at him with the start of tears in his eyes.

"You weren't hated like I was. You had the help you needed to get through it, the honorable grandson of the third Hokage, Konohamaru Sarutobi. Pretty much everyone in the village knew you. Sure I was known too, but I wasn't respected like you were, the only help I had was the few that I know and am close to, and even then it seemed hard for them to get through to me. But you had support", Naruto told him, and Konohamaru looked down feeling a little ashamed as he realized he was always supported by the village, even if it was only because he was the Third's blood relative, when Naruto had nobody except a handful of people that knew him better.

"Don't worry little brother. Tsunade and I will figure out a way to find your team another leader. Whoever that will be may not be like Ebisu or teach like him, but I can guarantee you it will be someone who has worked closely with him in the past, and that I will make sure of. The greatest thing a teacher can give us is the knowledge they have, because what they teach to us is much harder to forget than it is to forget who they were", Naruto said. "Unless you are like me and don't pay attention such as during Iruka's lessons, then it's really easy to forget just about anything you're told", he added with a chuckle, loosening his grip on Konohamaru's shoulders.

Konohamaru chuckled along as he wiped his eyes. "Yeah well…Iruka's lessons are kinda boring anyway…They can put someone like Shikamaru to sleep", he said a bit lightheartedly.

"Nah Shikamaru was just a lazy bum, none of Iruka's lessons interested him enough to keep him awake, and still he came out to be the smartest of the Rookie Nine, probably the smartest of the Konoha Eleven if you count Neji as a possibly close second. Didn't Asuma ever tell you about how he could never beat Shikamaru at a game of Shogi?", said Naruto with a shrug.

"Uncle Asuma may have complained once or twice…", Konohamaru gave a shrug of his own and a small sheepish grin

Naruto chuckled once more as his expression lightened to one that had a bit of a smile to it. "Why don't you go get yourself ready? You know the usual attire for a funeral", he said.

"You mean clad in black like an emo Uchiha?", Konohamaru asked with a bit of sarcasm in his tone and a roll of his eyes.

"Technically Sasuke doesn't wear much black particularly but, yes, and don't forget the headband hanging from your neck", Naruto said with a nod, having to at least smile at the humor.

"Got it", Konohamaru said as he began to walk back to his room and disappeared closing the door.

It wasn't too long after that Naruto stood outside the apartment waiting for Konohamaru, wearing a jumpsuit like what most chunin and jonin wore, which was what Kakashi had given to him that early morning from Tsunade, and it was black for the occasion. His old and beaten headband hung from his neck as the usual attire for paying respects at a mourning ceremony. The sky overhead was clouded and a grayed white color, matching the snow below and blowing a fairly chilly breeze, it was as if the sky itself knew that today was a day for mourn. Naruto leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and head down, trying to think of who could possibly be the best to take Ebisu's place in leading Konohamaru and his team, but he couldn't think of anyone else more fitting than either Kakashi or Guy, and even then it might prove difficult trying to arrange things to make it all work out if one of them did step in as the new leader of team Ebisu. But his thoughts were interrupted when the apartment door opened and Konohamaru stepped out, locking the door behind him.

"Do you want to go get Moegi and Udon before we head towards the cemetery where it's being held?", Naruto asked him.

"Nah, I'm sure we'll run into them along the way, they live closer to each other than either one of them do to me. I'm sure they're on their way there right now", Konohamaru shook his head as he looked at Naruto.

"Alright then, if you say so", Naruto shrugged again with his arms still crossed. Konohamaru walked passed him and he followed as they were on their way to where Ebisu's funeral was being held.

They walked towards the Eastern side of Konoha in silence, some villagers whispering amongst each other as they saw the two go by, a couple which Naruto heard had mentioned his name.

"Isn't that one with the Third's grandson there Naruto Uzumaki?", one asked.

"I guess so. Supposedly he returned some number of days ago, and from what I've heard he's been acting unusual since", the other answered.

"Unusual you say? Huh, that doesn't surprise me! It could have something to do with the Ni-", the first scoffed a little, but was shushed by the other they were speaking to.

"Don't mention that! He may know now that he is the demon's holder but it's still forbidden to speak about!", the second one said.

But all this talk about him was something he ignored. Leaving the village for as long as he did got him away from all of it, but he was still used to hearing it. And then he heard something he hadn't heard for a long time and therefore almost forgot what it was.

"Hey Streetfox!", a voice called, causing Naruto to stop where he was and turn to look for where it come from. Then he saw Kiba coming up to them. "I didn't get a chance the last time I saw you to say it's been a while", Kiba said.

"And it's surely been a while since I've been called that name", Naruto said with a slightly raised eye brow. Then he noticed Kiba was wearing a similar black attire like himself, most likely for the funeral. "Going to pay respects to Ebisu as well, I assume?", he asked.

"Yes, I am. The rest of the Rookies and I heard the news from Sakura and Kakashi, we decided upon ourselves and each other it would be the respectful thing to do if we attended, since Ebisu was one of Konoha's fellow ninja", Kiba nodded, then looked at Konohamaru. "My condolences for losing your Sensei, none of us expected to hear such news", but Konohamaru only nodded to that and didn't make a reply, so Kiba looked back at Naruto. "And I think Guy's team will be there too, so it'll be the whole Konoha Eleven, I have very high doubts Sasuke will make an appearance, that bastard is too up-tight about his ANBU training", he said.

"Well ANBU training isn't to be taken lightly, mind you, and I know that for a fact", Naruto said.

"What, you got some secret ANBU member to teach you a thing or two or something?", Kiba asked with a grin and a look of some disbelief.

"As a matter of fact yes, I did, and for the four years I was gone. It may not have been from a real ANBU official but the one that taught me had done a good number of years as a member of the Black Ops", Naruto answered him, turning to continue on their way, but as he had expected Kiba followed.

"Huh? No kidding?", the Inuzuka asked now with a look of surprise.

"If it were a lie, I'd probably be laughing at your gullibleness", Naruto told him.

"Hey I thought you were supposed to be silent on your way to a funeral?", Konohamaru spoke up, and both Kiba and Naruto looked at him, which Naruto then grinned a little at Kiba.

"He does have a point", the Uzumaki said, which kept the Inuzuka from talking any more.

It wasn't long after that that the three had ran into Moegi and Udon, as Konohamaru had predicted. The teammates nodded to each other and exchanged friendly hugs of comfort as they readied to confront the loss of their Sensei together, and were soon on their way again. This reminded Naruto of when he and his team had joined up in silence the day of the Third's funeral, but he couldn't forget how sad Konohamaru was while they mourned during it.

Upon reaching the cemetery, they found that a majority if not all who were attending were already there, including Tsunade herself. Kiba went to stand next to Shino who was in the front row with the rest of the Rookie Nine, the only two missing from their team was Akamaru and Hinata, but their Sensei Kurenai with her young daughter Mirai were there. On the end of the front row stood three ANBU, who were wearing black cloaks with their masks covering their faces. Naruto went and stood next to Sakura who stood next to team Asuma, and next to Naruto stood team Ebisu, with Kakashi and the other squad leaders standing on their other side. Tsunade stood facing the gathering crowd of those that came to say their last goodbyes to a fallen comrade.

Once it seemed settled and the crowd gave their attention to Tsunade, who stood next to a wooden coffin which held the remains of Ebisu's body wrapped in bandages due to the damage of the fire, she began to speak.

"We come together today in order to lay our honor down with a befallen ninja of Konohagakure. He was well known to many of his fellow ninja as a friend, a protector, and a great teacher. I can only hope that he will not be forgotten in the hindsight of his death", Tsunade said, and not too much in a happy tone either.

Sakura was beginning to tear up a little. She didn't know Ebisu very well, but it still shocked her that Konoha had lost one of its good defenders. Quickly without a second thought, she reached for Naruto's hand and clutched it tightly. At this, Naruto glanced over at her but not in surprise, only in the same sympathy he looked at Konohamaru with, and held her hand tightly too. He looked back towards Tsunade, but heard the sound of small sniffling to his right, and looked down at Konohamaru who was trying hard not to cry, so he rested his other hand on the young Sarutobi's shoulder to try and give silent comfort, and again looked up at Tsunade.

"Ebisu is a ninja worth remembering, he had done much to ensure the safety of this village, as did others. Always playing by the rules of the book, he may not have been one to improvise, but like all who vow to protect the village and its people he sure did a great job in measuring what techniques to use on the spot", Tsunade continued, then eyed Naruto with a tiny tug at the corners of her lips at her next words and the thought she had in her head from what she had heard from Jiraiya once before. "Most of the time at least", she chuckled a tiny bit, but Naruto didn't have to question what it was she meant, he knew and his gaze softened a little as the corners of his lips also pulled into a very small but visible smirk. There were small quiet chuckles from others in the crowd that knew as well, Kakashi being one of them.

But then there was silence again and smiles turned back to frowns. "Was there anything anyone wanted to say or share…?", Tsunade asked, her gaze sweeping over the people in front of her as she looked for volunteering hands, until she spotted one; Naruto's. "Yes, Naruto?".

"Well…Although Ebisu and I didn't exactly see eye-to-eye in the beginning, and that it took a while for him to warm up to the likes of me, but for changing his mind and taking his chances with trying to train the knucklehead I was I am thankful…I just feel regret for not going to him and telling that to him directly face to face. And it is true, he may not have been able to think of the proper technique to use on a few rare occasions, like the time he had chased me down to prevent my influence from rubbing off on Konohamaru, fearing that would only destroy his hard work in training the kid. But as, and I do quote, "an elite ninja warrior", he was an exemplary role model to look up to, only looking out for the wellbeing of his beloved village, and his young yet, stubborn and strong-willed student", Naruto said, looking down at Konohamaru who looked up at him nearly the same time, at the end of his last sentence. Then he looked back up again as he continued. "There will never be another ninja like him. And like I told Konohamaru only earlier today, the things a teacher shows to us is something we cannot easily forget, and that sticks with us longer than the memory of who they were to us", he said.

"Unless you're like Naruto", Konohamaru spoke up. "And just don't pay attention. It's not so easy to remember what it is we're taught then", he said, earning a chuckle from Kakashi and Iruka as they both looked towards their once were students. Even Sakura had to let out a small laugh, and Ino elbowed Shikamaru as a way of reminding him about his lack of attention during Iruka's lessons.

"I would be lying if I said that was a lie", Naruto admitted with a bit of a smile, earning more chuckles before there was more silence.

"Anyone else?", Tsunade asked, and then she saw Kakashi put his hand up slightly, volunteering to speak. "Go on Kakashi".

"I gotta admit, I couldn't say it any better than Naruto did. Ebisu was a stickler for most things, always having to be accurate on everything and knowing only the best, he might have been a little too overconfident but then again who isn't in the face of one particular hyberactive thirteen year old who couldn't so much as remember to never fall for the same trap twice?", Kakashi said with a shrug, yet again sending more chuckles through the crowd, making Naruto feel slightly embarrassed for once but he still showed a bit of a smile. "But his intentions were pure, and especially when it came to defending his village and his honor as a proud high ranking ninja of Konoha, it's truly going to feel a little different around here now that Konoha has officially lost two of its finest from my generation of shinobi. I remember specifically a time when myself, guy, and surprisingly Asuma had actually finally gotten Ebisu to sit down for a bit of Sake, and uh, well…Let's just say that Asuma and Ebisu didn't agree with each other and one thing led to another. I hope there's no hard feelings up there", he said as he smiled under his mask with a matching eye smile and pointed at the sky with an index finger as he said so. "Overall, I just hope that wherever those two are at now, they can rest in peace, but still keep an eye on their village", he added.

Tsunade nodded to Kakashi when he was done speaking, then turned her attention to Ebisu's team. "Moegi, Udon, Konohamaru…Did you three have anything important you wanted to say?", she asked.

"A promise", Konohamaru spoke up. "A promise that we will continue to try harder, and be just as good as a ninja Ebisu Sensei was, if not better! If there's one thing that I'll never forget from my big brother, it's to never give up or run away no matter what happens! And if there's one thing I'll never forget from Ebisu Sensei, it's to never do anything less than my best, and to keep going for the comrades of mine that can't. So until death comes knocking on our door…There is no way in hell we're turning back now, and nothing else can stop us! We've worked too hard to get to where we're at now, and from what I've seen, hard work is the only way to go as a loyal shinobi of Konohagakure. I am Konohamaru Sarutobi, named after my village by my grandfather the third Hokage, and I vow with my life to keep this very promise, and to keep going for Ebisu Sensei, for he taught us to inherit his will of fire and protect what is dear to us. New team leader or not, Moegi, Udon and I keep going to be the shinobi we were meant to be", he said, in all the seriousness he had in his body, and because of that Tsunade did not question him.

"Good! The village needs more people like you with your fighting spirit, if we continue to lose more of our valuable ninja then at this rate there will be none left…", Tsunade nodded to him with her approval, which caught Konohamaru a little off guard, but he and his teammates smiled with new lit determination shining in their eyes. No matter who takes over as their new leader, they will always be team Ebisu. "Now are you three willing to do the final honors, and lower Ebisu into his grave?", she asked.

The three nodded and stepped out of line, walking slowly towards the wooden coffin in which their sensei was, and they took the ropes that were tied to either sides of said coffin. They used the ropes to gently lower it into the ground, about six to eight feet deep, and it was Kotesu and Izumo who began to process of the burial, during which Ebisu's team finally let their tears and sobs free of their prison, and stood close together knowing this would be the last time they'd ever see anything of their beloved sensei.

The mourning continued, those who were there left flowers on the grave, and sent their last final words in silence to the heavens, and slowly they all departed, leaving only Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi and Iruka, Tsunade, and the remains of team Ebisu. The wind blew it's chilly breath but none of them spoke, Naruto and Sakura only exchanged glances with each other before Naruto embraced her as she herself cried for the loss, Kakashi looked up at the sky with that usual look of thought on his masked face, Iruka looked Konohamaru and his teammates with a little bit of worry for what was to happen to them now despite Konohamaru's promise, and Tsunade stood with her head down and a grim expression in silence.

" _Take care of him grandpa, uncle Asuma…_ ", Konohamaru thought.

" _Take care of him, Minato Sensei, Obito, Rin…_ ", Kakashi thought.

"Take care of him, Jiraiya Sensei, mom and dad…And Setsu Sensei…", Naruto said in a quiet whisper that not even Sakura heard.


	14. Chapter 14: Secrets

NOTE: Hey guys! Well thanks to some good friends of the family we were given some items to replace the ones stolen from us. The tv isn't as big as the one I had but it'll do, and we were given a PS3 to replace my (sadly limited silver edition) PS2, and a second generation Wii (the one that was stolen is a first generation). It was very kind of them and I'm very grateful because they didn't have to give us anything, but I guess they share our grief since they've been robbed before as well. The only things that are irreplaceable is the jewelry inside the two boxes that were taken, and in one was a necklace that had my late infant brother's ashes in it, so anything sentimental as that is probably gone for good. But this isn't going to stop us from trying to find our things and who did this. In the meantime I wrote another chapter for the lack of entertainment, I never really realized how boring it was without a tv haha, and my sister has the living room tv pretty much all day, given she's four and doesn't take too kindly to sharing. So I hope you enjoy this new chapter, but I can't tell when I'll have 15 ready, and don't expect it to be soon. Anyway, happy reading!

 **Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter 14**

Later that day, Naruto had gone to Tsunade to speak with her about finding a suitable replacement to lead Ebisu's team, after having walked Sakura back to the hospital to visit her father who seemed a little better than before. His thoughts wondered back to who's names to bring up to the Hokage, but still could only think of Kakashi and Guy as the possible best, but what he was not aware of was there was at least one more who could take Ebisu's place. He walked up to the doors of the Hokage's office, but he could hear talking on the other side and realized that Tsunade was not alone, so slowly he opened the door and looked in, seeing Tsunade speaking with a ninja he actually recognized, who turned when they heard the door open.

"Well if it isn't the one with the mean left hook that put Neji in his place", said the ninja with a grin, holding a senbon in between his teeth.

"Come in Naruto", Tsunade gave permission, and Naruto did so, closing the door behind him and walking up to her desk.

"I was hoping to speak to you about finding a replacement for team Ebisu, but if now's not the time then I can come back later", Naruto said, shrugging as he crossed his arms.

"No no, you're not interrupting anything. Did you have anyone in mind?", Tsunade asked.

"Well, the only two I could think of was Kakashi Sensei and Guy. I know my team has just been reinstated with Yamato as Sasuke's replacement, but you know we can handle ourselves with just three, and Kakashi knew Ebisu", Naruto said.

"And Guy?", Tsunade prompted.

"I figured if his team is in the ANBU then he would be able to take on another team. Konohamaru and his teammates should only need a squad leader until they are jonin, or prove otherwise that they are ready to move on to new objectives", Naruto explained.

"Understandable. But I must ask, why those two?", Tsunade nodded, leaning forward in her chair and folding her hands in front of her face.

"I already promised Konohamaru that you and I would find someone who's worked with Ebisu before, and knew him better. Guy and Kakashi are the only two I can think of that would be able to take up the job. Asuma is gone, Kurenai has a child to care for, and…I would lead Konohamaru and his teammates, but I feel it is not my place given the three of them knew Ebisu better than I did, and I'm sure it'd be complicated trying to find an equal replacement for me on my team, or else just not send out on missions at all", Naruto told her.

"Well, I don't think either Kakashi or Guy will need to take Ebisu's place. Genma here has just made the offer to do so", Tsunade said, making a gesture towards the other ninja that stood next to Naruto, with his hands shoved into his pockets and the senbon he always held in his mouth.

"Genma?", Naruto said questioningly as he looked at the other ninja.

"Remember me kid? I was the proctor for the final chunin exams. I stood there and watched you uppercut Neji Hyuga during your match with him. I did have some slight doubt you'd be able to beat him, until you pulled that move. Nice use of a shadow clone, I must say", Genma said, grinning again as he looked back at Naruto.

"Well when you put it that way I do remember you. Why are you offering to lead Ebisu's team if you don't mind me asking?", Naruto said.

"Ebisu, Guy and I were all on the same team with Choza Akimichi as our sensei. I may be one of the few ninja that serve as a guard to the Hokage, but I feel it would be best if I continued to lead Ebisu's team. I heard Konohamaru's promise today, that kid sure has moxie, but they still need a squad leader despite all that he said. Guy is a little too proud and rather rambunctious, I don't think poor Konohamaru and his friends would be able to keep up with him. Kakashi is a good choice I suppose with that Sharingan of his, and if Konohamaru has taken after you then his methods of teaching might be easy for them, not to mention he and I have both learned something from Lord Fourth, but he didn't work as closely with Ebisu as either me or Guy. I guess I would be the next best thing", Genma explained to him with a nonchalant shrug at the end.

"I wouldn't exactly let Konohamaru fool you. He's tougher than he looks", Naruto said with a slight smile, but his eyes were serious.

"He's also about as reckless as you were at that age", Tsunade chimed in.

"Heh…Then I would suppose he's taken perhaps a little too much after me…", Naruto said with a small chuckle as he moved a hand to the back of his head, and a bit of a sheepish look on his face.

"The boy looks up to you, you've always been his star idol since you two met some years ago, I wouldn't put it passed him to act a lot more like you than you think or realize", Tsunade laughed, sitting back in her chair and putting her folded hands down into her lap with one leg crossed over the other. "But I'm sure Genma can handle it, if Ebisu could", she said, looking from Naruto to Genma.

"I accept, Lady Tsunade", Genma bowed forward.

"Very well. I'll give you a couple days to get acquainted with Konohamaru and his teammates before sending you on any missions. Be sure to get to know their strengths and weaknesses, that way it will allow you to make the best judgments during critical situations. I now instate you as the new leader of team Ebisu, however it is up to Konohamaru and his teammates to decide if they want to be called as team Genma", Tsunade nodded to him, standing up and putting her hands behind her back. "You are dismissed, as are you Naruto, unless there was something else you wanted to speak to me about".

"There is nothing else", Naruto shook his head, then looked at Genma again. "We'll go find them now, Konohamaru had asked me if we might be able to train today so I'm sure the three of them are at the training grounds, probably for the best given the devastation of recent events", he said.

"Like Kakashi said, it's definitely going to be a different atmosphere without Ebisu around, but we've all managed to get by on losses before, this one should be no different as hard as it may be for some", Genma said.

The two left Tsunade's office and headed for the training ground where Naruto had thought Konohamaru and his teammates would be. And he wasn't wrong. When they got there, they saw the three chunin in the field of the training ground, and it looked as though Moegi and Udon trained against each other, while Konohamaru practiced alone against a post; the same post Naruto remembered being tied to after Kakashi gave him and his teammates the bell test, with him being the only one of the three to fail at stealing a bell from Kakashi, thus being tied to the post without lunch as punishment. He and Genma stood and watched the three for a few minutes, Moegi and Udon clashing kunai as they used hand to hand combat, and Konohamaru beating the post with his fist but almost in a rather angry manner. After noticing Konohamaru's behavior, Naruto disappeared in a flash which surprised Genma as he recognized that to be the Fourth's jutsu, after watching Naruto reappear in front of Konohamaru from nowhere. When Naruto reappeared, he caught Konohamaru's fist in his palm, blocking him from punching the post.

"Now what did this poor post do to you, huh?", Naruto said, trying to be humorous, but his smile was subtle.

"Did I get carried away?", Konohamaru asked as he peaked around Naruto at the post, noticing he had begun to leave very small dents in the wood.

"You feeling ok?", Naruto asked, letting go of Konohamaru's fist.

"Yeah. Fine. I just felt a little mad is all. This shouldn't have had to happen to Ebisu Sensei, but I'll let it go eventually", Konohamaru said, looking down at the ground and clenching his fists at his sides. "Did you talk to Tsunade yet?", he asked, but didn't look up at Naruto.

"I was going to, but it seemed someone else beat me to it and offered to take Ebisu's place. He's actually one of Ebisu's old teammates, that's probably about as close working to him as you'll get", Naruto said, then pointed at Genma who still stood watching at the edge of the field, and Konohamaru's gaze followed. "His name is Genma, he's agreed to be your squad's leader, and Tsunade's giving you and your friends the choice of changing your team's name to team Genma, instead of team Ebisu", he added.

"One of Ebisu Sensei's old teammates, huh?", Konohamaru said, raising an eye brow at Genma with a bit of a questioning look in his eyes.

"Tsunade's given you four a couple days off to get acquainted", Naruto said, but then noticed Konohamaru had a bit of a mischievous and thoughtful look on his face, so he crossed his arms as he knew just what the young Sarutobi was thinking. "And don't try anything stupid. You don't want to scare the guy off. Besides, it might not be such a good idea to play any tricks on him anyway", he said, which drew Konohamaru's attention back to him.

"…Fine…", Konohamaru said with a bit of disappointment and rolled his eyes looking away as most teenagers do.

Naruto chuckled and smiled more, uncrossing his arms and putting a hand on Konohamaru's head, ruffling the young Sarutobi's hair a bit, causing him to look up at him again. "Still up for some training?", he asked.

Konohamaru grinned as excited determination founds its way onto his face. "Bring it on big brother!", he challenged. And at that Naruto disappeared in a flash again, reappearing behind Konohamaru, who turned around to throw a punch only for it to be blocked. The two eventually got caught in a weapon vs weapon vs fist, clone vs clone spar.

A couple hours passed by and Moegi and Udon stood with Genma watching the spar between Naruto and Konohamaru carry on. However, it seemed Konohamaru was beginning to grow exhausted, when Naruto showed no signs of fatigue. Konohamaru stood with his arms held in front of his face, holding kunai in each of his hands as he breathed heavily from the nonstop combat, glaring at Naruto but not in a grudge sort of way. Naruto himself stood calmly, also holding kunai.

"Do you want to call it a tie?", Naruto asked Konohamaru, lowering his guard a little.

"Tie", Konohamaru panted, then let himself fall onto his back, grip on the kunai loosening, and he stared up at the sky as he caught his breath.

" _Yep, the kid certainly does have moxie, but definitely not the kind of endurance as that Uzumaki…At least not yet_ ", Genma thought as he smiled to himself seeing they had called in for a break in training.

Naruto walked over to Konohamaru and looked down at him with his hands on his hips, then up at the sky as well, which was beginning to clear just a little, but it was still a little cloudy. But Naruto's attention was drawn away from it when he heard his name be called.

"Ay, Naruto", he looked to see it was Shikamaru who had called him, approaching them with Ino and Sakura tagging along with him. Naruto looked back down at Konohamaru and lent a hand to help him to his feet, before walking to meet his friends.

"What's up?", Naruto asked them.

"We just thought we'd check in on Konohamaru and see how he was doing. He looked pretty crushed at the funeral today", Shikamaru said, hands in his pockets, as they all looked towards the young Sarutobi who was brushing the dust off himself with his hand.

"Who wouldn't?", Naruto said, feeling a pinch of loss as he remembered how crushed he was to lose Jiraiya, but he knew full well how crushed Shikamaru was at losing Asuma. "He was a little steamed when I got here earlier, but I think our training just took his mind off of things, at least for a little while", he added, watching Konohamaru walk over to his friends and greeting Genma, then looked back at Shikamaru and the girls.

"Don't think I don't understand the kid's pain. I still feel at fault for what happened to Asuma Sensei", Shikamaru said.

"Don't we all feel at fault for something that isn't at some point in our lives?", Naruto asked, but rhetorically, not expecting an answer, but all Shikamaru did was nod. They all looked back towards Konohamaru's way again.

"I want to at least give him our condolences", Shikamaru said as he looked at Ino, who nodded in agreement and the two began to walk over to where Konohamaru and his friends were, but when Ino realized Sakura and Naruto weren't following, she herself stopped and turned partly towards them.

"Are either of you coming or what?", Ino asked.

"You two go, there's something I wanted to speak to Naruto about alone", Sakura said, making Naruto look at her with a look of surprise mixed with one of questioning. " _And right now might be my only chance…_ ", she thought, glancing back at him.

"Well ok then, Forehead", Ino shrugged, then turned back to catch up with her fiancé Shikamaru.

"Speak to me about what?", Naruto asked Sakura.

"About something Kakashi Sensei told me…About you", Sakura said in a bit of a quieted voice, chin down, but eyes still looking into his, and her face was serious.

"And that would be?", Naruto asked, raising an eye brow a little and turning his head slightly to the left, but kept his eyes locked with hers.

"He told me about something you did when you were younger, before we met for the first time…", Sakura told him, keeping her tone quiet, and she stepped closer to him.

"…", Naruto still waited for her to tell him what she meant.

"…You cut yourself, didn't you? You locked yourself in your apartment and tried to commit suicide…", she said, a little more quieter as she broke eye contact and looked down.

"What?", Naruto said, eyes widening a little, but it was more as if he didn't know what it was she was talking about, like he didn't have a clue. "What are you talking about Sakura? When?", he asked her.

"Don't play dumb with me!", she said in sudden anger, but made sure to keep her voice quiet still, looking back up at him. "I went to Tsunade early this morning to ask her about it and she gave me the old report file Lord Third had made about the incident, I read it and it almost made me sick to my stomach to think that you'd ever try such a risky act! Naruto, why didn't you tell me this before?!", she said.

"I have no idea what you're telling me? What file? What act?", Naruto said as he shrugged at her, seeming genuinely clueless about the matter.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about, Naruto Uzumaki! Thinking that killing yourself like that would just make everything better! That's not like you, not the you I know!", Sakura said, with more anger and raising her voice just a tad.

"Killing m-…? I don't know what you're talking about!", Naruto repeated.

"You do too, you idiot! Stop trying to hide it from me and tell me the truth!", Sakura said, stepping even closer to him.

"No, I don-", he began to stay, but was stopped midsentence by a hard slap to the side of his face, causing his head to jerk to the right in a sudden motion, leaving him wide eyed with a face of total complete but blank shock. The sound of her hand colliding with his cheek was loud enough for the others nearby to hear it, which they turned to see what was going on and were just about as shocked as Naruto was. Naruto stood like that for almost a minute, trying to grasp what just happened in his head, and blinked a couple times as he slowly turned his head back to look at Sakura, who had tears streaming down her own cheeks, yet she still showed anger and fire burning in her eyes. Silence fell over all that were in the field, and the only thing heard was the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves of the trees.

"The truth!", Sakura growled at him, tears continuing to run, but she stood her ground and held her expression of anger towards him for trying to avoid talking to her. She knew very well it wasn't always good to bring things up from his past since he never liked talking about it, but what she knew from what Kakashi told her and from what she read in the old report written by Lord Third that Tsunade had managed to dig up, it only made her more worried for him, especially with how he's been acting since he returned home. But her expression softened a little, as his own began to slowly contort to anger, almost as if they were trading faces, and his eyes became cold. Sakura frowned again as she gritted her teeth and went to smack him again, but he caught her by the wrist with a tight grip that stopped her immediately, and she looked at him with newfound fear at what he might do next, and everyone else held their breath.

He looked her dead in the eyes with a glare of ice, and she could have sworn she saw his pupils turn to slits. He held her gaze and her wrist in his grip for what seemed like a long time, the wind blowing through between them, but he let go.

"I'm done talking…", she heard him say in a bit of a dark tone, and he began to turn away from her to leave.

"B-…But Naruto!", Sakura yelled at him, but he didn't stop to listen, just continued to walk away. She was hesitant at first but ran towards him to catching in an embrace from beind, but he had disappeared in a flash just before he was in her reach, and was gone.

"What was that all about?", Genma asked, scratching his head in confusion.

"I'm not exactly sure", Shikamaru shrugged.

Konohamaru was a little stunned that Naruto would just walk away like that and disappear, he's never turned his back on Sakura in that way, but whatever it was she said to him he guessed it must have really ticked him off.

"…. _What have I done…?!_ ", Sakura thought to herself, as she stared at empty space where Naruto just was, tears blowing away on the wind.


	15. Chapter 15: Masked Fox

NOTE: Hey guys! Ha, the haters that read this fic make me laugh ;D, you guys are funny. The pairings I've chosen are not left up to you, as you are not the author of this story, and I will not change that to conform to your needs or wishes. Kiba as a matter of fact just happens to be one of my fave chars from the Rookie Nine, next to Neji, Shikamaru, and of course Sakura and Naruto. Hinata on the other hand, I never really liked her all that much, but I did think KibaHina was a cute ship. Don't like my choices? Then back off. What are you even doing here, reading this fic, if you hate the choices I've made to write it? As for the rest of my readers who have stayed loyal, and those that continue to follow it, I thank you very very much, and appreciate you and your friendly reviews. It's always nice to wake up to emails from Fanfiction alerting me of new followers, favorites, or reviews (ones that are positive). I hope it will remain this way until the fic reaches its final chapter, which for now I don't know when that'd be, could be another 15 chapters from now, could be another 40, we'll just have to see how long the story takes to end. Thanks for reading! Here's another chapter to enjoy!

 **Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter 1** **5**

A clear starry night fell over the village like a looming shadow later that day, bringing temperatures down colder than they would be if the sky were clouded, most of everyone who walked the streets at the hour bundled up tight against the frigid air.

Ever since Naruto walked away from her, Sakura had been wandering aimlessly and almost lethargically as she watched the event of that day replay through her memory that never seemed to let her forget. Aside from when Naruto was in his fox state no matter the number of tails, she never thought she'd be afraid of him, never like that. And it scared her even more to think that he had that kind of intent in him, even if after not being who she once knew for so long it came as a natural reaction to him. He was definitely much darker than when she last saw him in the village four years before. Slowly she walked through the small crowds, hands in the pockets of her coat, eyes on the ground, and a few tears falling from her face as the reality of how much he's truly changed really hit her.

" _What happened to the lively, hyper, spunky and bright-eyed person I used to know?..._ ", she thought sadly to herself, choking back another tear. " _He's still Naruto…But he's not the Naruto I love…_ ".

Not even Inner said anything.

Every now and then, with the more she wandered, Sakura felt waves of angst wash over her, but it wasn't her emotion. It was far stronger than that. That is when she knew it was Naruto's emotion, what he was feeling right now, wherever he was from where she stood. Angst. One of the many but, rarely, shown emotions she's seen him express, or at least used to. But the feeling of it was so overpowering, she knew it was something he had been holding back for too long of a time, and was finally beginning to break. She had to find him, and fast before it led to any more rash decisions that he might later regret, so she looked up from the ground and quickened her pace. But where to look, she did not know. She traveled to East side Konoha to check the cemetery for him, thinking he might be grieving again, but he was not there. She walked back, and checked at Ichiraku's, but like the first time she hunted him down, he was not there. She didn't bother asking anyone if they had seen him, since it seemed the village had not recognized him yet, having forgotten who he was and letting a familiar face become a strange one. Perhaps he went back to Konohamaru's? Slightly hoping she was right this time, she rushed over to the young Sarutobi's apartment that used to be, in fact, Naruto's. When she arrived, she hesitated to knock on the door, but swallowed her fear and tapped on the door three times, followed by a voice coming from the inside, and then the opening of the door.

"Hey Sakura, what's up?", it was Konohamaru who answered, and he leaned a little against the doorframe, one hand shoved into his pant pocket and the other on the door handle.

"Is Naruto here with you?", Sakura asked, with a small hopeful gleam in her eye, but it disappeared when she saw Konohamaru look down and shake his head.

"Haven't seen him since earlier today…What happened between you two anyway?", Konohamaru said, looking back up at her with a raised brow.

"I don't really know…I had confronted him about something from his past and…He acted like he didn't know what I was talking about, and regrettably, I slapped him hoping to knock some sense into him, knowing he had an answer but wouldn't tell the truth…I know now that that was the wrong thing to do, and it…Angered him. I actually felt afraid when he looked me in the eye after stopping me from slapping him again. I thought for sure he'd…", Sakura explained, trailing at the end and looking away, with her hands held close to her chest.

"Hurt you?", Konohamaru asked, causing her to look back at him as he pretty much read her mind. "Naruto wouldn't do that Sakura, you and I both know. He can be kind of scary when he's mad, that's not any different than before he ever left, but if there's one thing I know for sure it's that he would never, EVER, hurt you. At least not physically, but he may not know how much he's hurt you emotionally. I thought for a split second that he was going to do something after he caught your wrist, but then I remembered him telling me that, no matter how mad he may be, be it at you or someone else, he wouldn't ever harm you if he could help it. I miss the happier big brother, and I'm sure you miss his loving personality, but until he's ready to come forward to us there's not much we can do to change him. He loves you, or at least he did…And he would do anything to ensure that you, and anyone else precious to him, is safe, even if it means having to keep them safe from himself, and even if it means he dies. He may not be the same but we have to have faith in him and keep believing that he'll come back to being the old big brother Naruto. He's taught me to never give up, never stop believing, and never stop hoping. So I'm not going to give up on him, or think differently of him just because of how he's been since he got here, it's not fair for us to turn on him like that for something he may have not been able to control or stop from happening. We never gave up hope that he'd come back to us, so we can't give up now", he told her, which deep down, his words kindled a new flame within her and she smiled at him, which he smiled back.

" _You've certainly taken on his nindo, haven't you…It's almost like I'm looking into the past, at the Naruto we both knew…_ ", she thought. "Thank you, Konohamaru. I guess I needed to hear those words", she said.

"Any time!", Konohamaru smiled wider in a grin that also mirrored the way Naruto would smile, holding up a fist to her, like Naruto did, and although slow in reaction, she got the message and touched her fist back to his in a gentle fist bump, and the two laughed. "Want me to help search for him?", he then asked.

"No, no…This is something I need to talk to him alone about, and I may be the only one he can tell, because I think I've figured out that he fears for the kind of influence it might have on you if you knew, and he doesn't want you to get any…'Bright' ideas", she said, emphasizing the word 'Bright'.

"Well ok then…If you say so…But if you need help, I'm here!", Konohamaru said.

"Thanks, again", this time Sakura nodded her head, and began to walk away, soon after she heard the door close, and then began thinking again of places Naruto might go to be alone. The cemetery and Ichiraku's were two places she still couldn't find him, and he wasn't at Konohamaru's, so where else could he be? She sighed after thinking on it, and continued to walk onward, hoping she'd run into him. Which each minute it seemed to get colder and colder, making her worry more for him since he didn't have much elsewhere to go besides Tsunade's office or possibly even Kakashi's place.

"You should check by the Western gate, dear", she heard an older voice say from behind, and to it she whipped around, only to find an elderly woman some inches shorter than herself.

"You saw him?", Sakure asked the elder.

"I did. He didn't look quite happy though, but I could tell by the look on his face that he was perhaps regretting something that might have happened. Maybe something that happened with you?", the elder responded.

"Yes, unfortunately…And I regret it too. Do you…Know him?", Sakura asked. She knew none of the villagers payed him much mind, not just since his return but since he was much younger, why would this one villager be telling her anything of his whereabouts?

"Not how you do. I was one of the bystanders that would see him walk Konoha's streets when he was a youngin', I never could stand how the villagers treated such an innocent soul, like the very few others that there were. Oh but what could just one woman goin' senile do? Those who shared my views were not brave enough to stand up to those that did not, and admittedly neither was I. But the boy I could see had a good heart, and I only wished it wouldn't get him killed or into trouble", the elder told her.

"Yes, Naruto had been through so much pain and suffering that he strived to make sure nobody else faced the same thing, at least not alone. He always made sure the needs of others came before his own, and that included needing medical attention…That is the Naruto I miss…", Sakura said, looking down as that painful thought set in once again and it made her heart ache.

"I know my dear. But, you mustn't give up faith. As the old saying 'what goes around comes around' can go both ways, he may have taken a turn you never thought he would, but give it time and a little bit of faith and he's sure to come around again. Now hurry on and find him deary, it's getting cold outside, and neither of you need to be catching the chills", the elderly woman said.

"I will! Where did you say he was?", Sakura said.

"West gate", the elder replied.

Sakura did not hesitate, she sped off without another word, but suddenly stopped as she realized she had forgotten her manners.

"Thank-…", she spun around to thank the old woman, but she was gone and nowhere to be seen.

" _Sh-she couldn't have moved THAT fast?!...Unless it was…No, it couldn't be_ ", she thought, shaking her head, and set her mind on finding Naruto. She turned again and rushed off towards the West gate.

The closer she got, the more her heart raced, wondering what might happen or be said once she got there. That is, if she found him. She's noticed that he's never really in one place for too long, and like he always had done, avoids confrontation about the past. She kept running hoping he'd still be there, but suddenly stopped when she felt a wave of fear wash over her, and she looked around realizing she was alone without much light. She looked around wondering if the fear was his, or her own, she gripped the crystal she wore and held it in her grasp. She herself began to feel afraid, but for reasons she did not know, and then…

Before she knew it, she was pinned to a wall, held a few inches above the ground by her throat. She gasped in surprised terror, and with what little movement she had control of she looked down to see her attacker who was wearing an ANBU mask that looked new, and the mask resembled that of a raven. However, she caught just a glimpse of familiar eyes behind the mask, and didn't fail to recognize the Sharingan.

"Sasu…ke…", she choked out, his grip on her throat tight.

"What does the blond dobe have planned to beat me to becoming Hokage?", asked Sasuke, with an edge to his voice.

"I…Can't tell you…I d-…Don't know…", Sakura choked out again, gripping the hand that gripped her throat, beginning to run out of air. She looked down into his eyes again that were visible through the vision holes in his mask, and quickly realized that was a mistake. She suddenly felt very weak, and her hands dropped to her sides, unable to move. By looking into his eyes, he was able to use his Sharingan to paralyze her at least temporarily. She was helpless.

"Do not play games, Sakura! I know you enough to know that you won't leave his side, especially since he's been gone for so long and then just suddenly showed up. I know you know something. So tell me now…Or I'll kill you", Sasuke said, tightening his grip even more and making her choke for air.

She looked from him to the sky without moving her head, wishing Naruto was there right now, to help and protect her like he always did, even from Sasuke. She closed her eyes as she had no air left to breathe anymore, and a single tear escaped.

" _Is…This how it ends?..._ ", she thought. She didn't want to give Sasuke the information he demanded, she wanted to protect Naruto and his chances of becoming Hokage. And if that meant dying right where she was by Sasuke's hand, then so be it.

Then there was a flash, and another figure appeared between her and Sasuke. The figure raised a fist, and unleashed a powerful punch to Sasuke's jaw, causing the Uchiha to let go and fly backward, which in turn Sakura fell to the ground and gasped deeply as she was able to breathe again, but was still paralyzed from the effects of Sasuke's Sharingan. She was able to look up, but in her hazy vision she realized that the newcomer was also wearing an ANBU mask, only his looked more worn than Sasuke's, and didn't resemble a raven but a fox-like creature. She recognized that mask from before, and remembering what Naruto had told her, she knew it was him. He had arrived just in time to save her life.

"N-Naruto…", she said in a bit of a quieted voice, but it didn't seem he heard her.

"I told you, to leave everyone else out of it, Sasuke. This is between you, and me, leave Sakura alone, teme!", Naruto spoke gruffly, just as Sasuke was beginning to stand up, slowly recovering from the attack. He turned and faced Naruto, and glared at him through his mask, but Naruto only glared back.

"Only one will become Hokage…And I can't let that be you, Naruto!", Sasuke said, charging at Naruto with his katana drawn from its sheath, ready to strike. But Naruto was fast, he flashed from where his stood in front of Sakura to half way between her and Sasuke, and let his kunai clash with the blade of the katana, stopping Sasuke in his tracks as he tried to overpower Naruto's resisting strength. But the Uchiha suddenly felt a presence behind, and then before he knew it had a kunai held to his throat like their last confrontation, and it was a clone that held it. The real Naruto took the opportunity and kicked the katana out of Sasuke's hand, taking it in his own, and without any second thoughts he drove it into Sasuke's left shoulder all the way through to the other side and even into the clone behind him, which disappeared in smoke shortly afterward. Blood spattered the snow, staining it red, and Sasuke had let out a yell when the pain hit him.

"I warned you, I would not show mercy", Naruto whispered into his ear with a low growl, twisting the katana and causing Sasuke to yell again. "Next time, I'll be sure to aim two inches to the right, and I'll kill _you_ ", the words were like venom, dark and rather threatening. When Naruto flashed back to where Sakura was left on the ground, Sasuke fell to his knees having no support, and leaned forward as the pain made him wince in short gasps, eyes wide as his mind tried to process what all just happened.

Naruto picked up Sakura in his arms, and jumped to the rooftops as he left Sasuke impaled by his own sword. Even Sakura herself was a bit fearful after watching Naruto do such a thing to their old teammate, after he had claimed that Sasuke was still his friend regardless. What made him change his mind?

"N-Naruto?", she spoke quietly again, and this time he heard her, as his response was to look down at her, and through his mask she saw his blue eyes that showed concern.

He stopped then, and gently set her down, as she was beginning to regain feeling and the ability to move again. He removed his mask slowly from his face, revealing a face of worry.

"Are you hurt, Sakura?", he asked softly.

"I-I'm a little shaken, and my neck and throat are probably going to be a little sore for a bit, but otherwise I'm fine thanks to you", she said, smiling at him as she slowly reached up and put a hand on his cheek.

"I am relieved, I feared I'd be too late to save you…", he said, putting his hand on her own and holding it comfortingly.

" _So that was his fear I felt…I knew Sasuke was coming after me_ ", she thought. She sat up with the strength she had gained back, and wrapped her arms around him as she hugged him tightly. He followed the embrace and wrapped his arms around her, but what was different about this time was he had his face buried into her shoulder and he let tears fall.

And he held her like he wouldn't ever let go.


	16. Chapter 16: Scar Tissue

NOTE: Hey guys! So a couple of you were asking for an update on this, and I again apologize for the long wait. Summer's coming, and I don't plan to go to school that quarter so hopefully I'll have a lot more free time to get some chapters out. But for now, enjoy the update I bring you. WARNING: Talk of suicide! Read at own risk!

 **Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter** **16**

He didn't want to let go, and he held her as close as he possibly could, be his uneasiness about her safety at the current moment tore him away from her and he walked to the edge of the rooftop they took refuge on from Sasuke. He surveyed the area with keen eyes like that of a vigilante, watching in silence to see if he'd spot the raven-haired Uchiha searching for them, him particularly, but there was one shred of him that had doubts Sasuke would pursue, not after what he just did to his old friend.

But the silence was too much for Sakura.

"Why?...Why did you walk away before?...", she asked, her expression a mixture of seriousness and worry.

"…", he turned his head just enough to barely look over his shoulder at her, the bleakness of his gaze was unnerving to her, but he remained silent and once more his face twisted to a frown like it did when she had raised the question about his past. He turned his head away, looking straight ahead with a narrowed pale cerulean gaze.

"I'm sorry…I know you don't like talking about what you've been through. But eventually, it's only going to hurt you if you don't, so please-", she told him, being interrupted by his voice.

"Because that's exactly it, I didn't want to talk about it, and I still don't…There's a lot of things in my past that I regret…Things, I shouldn't feel regret for, and try to forget...But how can I when I'm constantly being reminded? Scars never fade, no matter how much they heal, even if you can't see them. As much as I hate lying, I can't tell you the truth, it's something I've tried to escape for a long time and you'd hate me if I did…", he said, eyes remained forward on the horizon of buildings, with the chilling Winter wind blowing by whispering it's sympathy to him.

Sakura looked down with shame, she never knew that was what he truly felt, that the pain of his memories was that great. She understood now, as she remembered it was the same with her when they were doing nothing but chasing after Sasuke, the memories of Team 7 once being whole haunted her with an emptiness of the space Sasuke stood in. And that kind of pain was ten times greater when Naruto had left the village, it was only then she realized she loved him and not their Uchiha teammate, and at that time it was too late to tell him because he had already gone. But, the pain of those memories went away when they both returned, and the heaviness was lifted from her heart. For Naruto, there was nothing anyone could do to fix it all, the damage done was permanent. She stood up, brushing off the snow that clung to her, and carefully stepped toward him.

"I don't think I could ever hate you, baka…", she said. "Scars may tell us where we've been…", she added as she slowly reached for his shoulder and placed a gentle hand on it. "But they do not dictate where we go. Whatever your reasons are, I won't hate you for them. I'm here to help you, whether you ask me to or not".

Again she got no reply, and he stared onward for a minute to a few, his face turning to a somber expression he before let out a defeated sigh and placed his own hand on hers that was resting on his shoulder. He closed his eyes and turned his head down like he were looking at the ground.

" _ **Listen to her, kit. She might not be able to make all the pain go away, but the least she can do is ease it**_ ", he heard Kurama say in his head. He didn't want to admit it, but the fox was right. She couldn't make his pain go away entirely, but she could make it easier to deal with, like she used to.

"…Naruto?", she tilted her head just a bit at him, wondering what he was to say or do, if anything at all.

"This is not the place", he said, and before she was able to protest or give an opinion, he turned to face her and picked her up again, in a flash they were both gone from the rooftop and soon inside her own house. It took Sakura a few seconds to realize where they were before she recognized it to be her home with the lights off. He set her down carefully, and she held his hand as she guided him through the dark to flip on a few lights and sit him down on her couch. She closed the curtains to the front window and locked the door, then sat on the couch next to him.

"Ok Naruto, we're alone, can you tell me now?", she asked.

"First I want to ask, why is it so important for you to know? What will telling you accomplish?", he asked.

"Because again, I'm here to help you and I want to help you. I feel that by keeping it to yourself you're only strengthening the burden, and I can't let my best friend be crushed to death by that. By telling someone you trust, you're lifting the burden, at least by a little if not completely. There's already too much you carry on your shoulders Naruto, and the fact you've been gone for four years doesn't help when I know I've seen you go through it alone for too long enough. You don't have to be alone anymore, I'm right here, and I'll listen for as long as you need someone to talk to", she told him, resting a hand on his shoulder again.

He was silent once more, staring at her as she smiled kindly to him to show she was sincere, and let out another sigh as he looked down and closed his eyes like he did a few moments ago. He took off his flak jacket given to him by Tsunade, set aside the ANBU mask he still had around his head, and then removed his shirt showing the very many scars he had. Most of them looked new or a couple years old, while only a small handful were old from before he departed four years ago, one of which was circular and on the front side of his left shoulder matched by a similar shape on the back side in the same spot; where Sasuke had driven his Chidori through his chest during their battle at the Valley of the End. Others that were most noticeable were three larger scars across his back over his shoulder blades, and crossed over by a fourth in an X shape.

This was the most she had ever seen him covered in scars, and she fought hard not to gasp, putting a hand to her mouth in shock while her eyes widened at the sight.

"Don't tell me all of these are…", she said shakily.

"No. Those are from the battles I've fought in during my four year absence, and the older ones are from when we started going on missions all the way up to when I left. Some are even from my time with Jiraiya Sensei. Kurama's chakra may heal me, but it still leaves marks", he said, looking back at her, then hesitantly pointed to two smaller scars on the right side base of his neck, where his collar bone was. "These two are the oldest of all, those were left from when I had…", he trailed.

"The day that you…", Sakura said quietly, also trailing in her sentence.

"Yes…", he nodded once, looking down again, then took a deep breath and exhaled it before he began to tell the story. "Back then, I was too young to understand why my parents were gone...I'd often see other kids, walking down the streets with theirs, laughing joyfully all the while as their parents smiled down at them with pride in their eyes. I'd see them out for a special occasion or celebrating a birthday or praising for an achievement with some sort of reward, or anything of the like. I didn't have any of that, it left me to wonder what it was like, to be able to celebrate something like a birthday, but...I didn't even know when my own birthday was…".

As he began, she could already tell where it was going, as did all his stories about his past, they all lead back to the fact that he had no parents growing up and was left alone, which always pulled at her heartstrings given she grew up with both her mother and father in her life, as annoyingly nagging as they were. And he continued.

"One day, I had gotten into trouble again with Lord Third, and when he brought me home I asked him why didn't I have a mom and dad...He never answered. He just looked down at me with a sad look, never said a word, and walked away. I didn't see him for the rest of the day after that", he said.

" _You always were alone…I wish I would have known better, I could have helped you sooner and given you a friend to talk to…_ ", she thought as she listened.

"I had this thought that, maybe my parents were on this long mission or something, and couldn't come home until it was complete. So every day when I'd go home I'd say to myself 'maybe it's today! Maybe today they're there, waiting to greet and welcome me home!'...But when I'd walk into my apartment, with a big smile on my face and the words 'mom, dad, I'm home' waiting in the back of my throat...I'd find it empty, dark, and cold. Just as I had left it. My smile would fade, and my hopes would be crushed, while I was left alone asking why...It was the same with mornings too. I'd think to myself 'well, maybe they'll come home tonight, and I'll wake up to their smiling faces!', just before I'd fall asleep. And when I'd wake up, I'd run out of my room, hoping to find them. But again I was only greeted by the silence of my loneliness, that cold and dark emptiness that never said anything back to me when I'd say hello. It was the same routine for a long while, race home thinking my parents were there, and if they weren't then tell myself maybe they will be when I wake up, and if not then maybe they will be later that day when I'd race home again. Eventually, it began to dawn on me...My parents, wherever they were, were never coming back...", he said, closing his eyes, his expression slowly growing more sad as he talked about it, and it was beginning to make Sakura tear up.

"I stopped rushing to get home so fast, because I didn't want to find it empty again. I stopped thinking they'd be there in the morning when I'd wake, and I'd cry myself to sleep. There was nothing else I longed for most, than to be loved by two very special people that would love me no matter what, even if I was the Nine-tails child. If I got into trouble, they'd be there to punish me, but still hug me. If I needed help, they'd be there to hold my hand, and walk me through. If I cried, they'd be there to hold me close, and tell me everything's going to be ok. If I laughed, they'd laugh with me, until our stomachs hurt. If I got hurt, they'd heal me, and protect me from getting hurt again. If I smiled, they'd smile back at me, and tell me they love me. If I frowned, they'd ask me what was wrong, and try to make me smile again. I wanted nothing more than to be like the other kids that did have parents, and walk down the street holding my parents' hands while laughing with joy as they smiled down at me pridefully, or to blow out a birthday candle as they told me to make a wish, or to be congratulated for something I did right...", he said, then gave a bit of a chuckle, but not in a humorous way. "It's funny, ya know? We tend to appreciate the things we don't have, but wish for over all else. Yet, some can't appreciate the things they do have, and wish for something else over that", he said as he looked at her.

"One day it had finally clicked, after being pelted with a few rocks by older kids and being called a monster and a demon, I had finally understood that I was different somehow some way. I still wasn't so sure how in what way, or why, but I knew that whatever it was it was why people hated me. So I had gotten the idea that if I was dead, I wouldn't feel that kind of pain, I wouldn't have to sit and wonder where or even who my parents were, and people wouldn't hate me anymore, because there wouldn't be anything left to hate. I would always get into trouble just for attention, and on some accounts I'd be chased by Chunin before Lord Third would get involved, so I had worked out a plan to get myself chased again, and that time I would steal one of their weapons. I got myself chased after throwing a rock at one of them, and I had made them mad enough to throw kunai at me. I dodged, and took one of them with me as I took off. I eventually got them off my trail and went home, locked myself in my apartment, but only stared at the blade in my hand. I contemplated whether or not what I was about to do was the right thing, or the right way to go, the right way to die...I wasn't sure. There were so many questions I had. Would I see my parents again? Would I feel pain? Where would I go after death, what would happen? And would I even be missed? So many questions and still no answers. Without even thinking or realizing it, I had taken the kunai and cut it across the front of my right shoulder here. I felt pain because it stung and it hurt to bleed, but I also felt adrenaline, and for some reason it felt good. It was like I was relieving the deeper pain I felt, pain I could be free of, and I wanted to feel it again. So I cut again, in the same place, and didn't try to stop the bleeding. I smiled because I felt like I could be at peace, it would only be a matter of time before I'd say my final goodbyes...But then, I began to have second thoughts. What if my parents did come back, and I wasn't there? What if the pain does get better and I make a friend or two? What if I'm forgiven and the hatred disappears? I began to realize that I had made a mistake, I was going to die and I didn't want to, but I couldn't stop it. I panicked. My chest got tight and I couldn't breathe, I felt my heart race as if it were to burst out of me, and it was at that moment that I had noticed I began to bleed more. It wasn't long before I began to feel weak and sick to my stomach, and eventually I couldn't hardly stand anymore. I fell to the floor gripping my chest and couldn't move as I struggled to breathe, and still the bleeding got worse with the severity of my panic attack. I heard another voice in my head say "you fool!", which I now know was Kurama speaking to me, because if a Bijuu's jinchuuriki dies while that Bijuu is still sealed inside, then the Bijuu itself dies too. I remember seeing my apartment door swing open, but my vision was blurred. I saw Kakashi and Iruka rush in and over to me, I remember hearing them yell my name but my hearing was muffled. The average seven year old's body can hold about six to seven pints of blood, and I had already lost five by the time they got to me. Next thing I knew I was being lifted from the floor, and then everything went black. I woke up the next morning in a hospital bed, strapped to it with restraints. Lord Third confronted me about such reckless behavior and explained to me the consequences, but I already knew that death was one if not the only consequence of my actions. And it was from that point forward that I was going to try to get people to notice me, besides by causing trouble. It was at that point that I saw myself as becoming Hokage, and if I did then I would finally be noticed for who I am, as Naruto Uzumaki...It was then that, later on that year, I had entered myself into the ninja academy, where I soon met you and the other Rookie Nine...It's just these old scars now, and this very kunai is what made them", he told, and held up the kunia, it's blade old and beaten, chipped even in some places, and dull.

She started down at the weapon, unable to believe he'd hung on to it after all these years, especially after what it was used for. She was speechless as she looked back up at him, but his gaze was on the kunai. Without a word, she pushed the kunai away and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Like a few times before, it caught him off guard, and he sat frozen staring ahead with a look of surprise. But this time he was a bit quicker to react, and he looked at her from the corners of his eyes, but all he saw was the back of her head, so he picked up him arms and wrapped them around her and he completed the hug. He could hear her crying softly into his neck, the side where the two scars he just told about were, and he just closed her eyes and whispered quietly.

"Shhh, it's ok", he said, holding her closer, her sobs getting louder. It always ended this way, he'd tell her a story about his past and she'd be in tears. He never understood why when it should be the other way around.

But all she could say was…

"…I'm sorry…"


	17. Chapter 17: A Comrade Is Down

NOTE: Hey guys! I'm so very sorry for making you all wait so long for an update to this story! There's been a lot going on here on my end, and for a little while I was unmotivated to continue this. But, I know how much you all love this story so I'm not going to give up on it, as I had promised before! Although within the recent couple months, I've come to discover I have anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder, which explains why I worry and stress so much about things so easily and why I'm afraid to be alone in public places, I also had my first panic attack trying to take a final for my online class at the end of the quarter, that wasn't fun at all D:. Anyway, I'm done with school until Fall quarter starts so hopefully I'll be able to get at least one or two more chapters out to you guys over the summer, but we'll have to see since there's a lot of family oriented things planned to do (to be honest I'd rather be a hermit and write chapters than socialize with people XD). Thanks for staying loyal to this! It means a lot! Hope to get some good reviews for this chapter, and the ending was made to lighten the mood some, so I hope you like it! Here we go, chapter 17! Enjoy!

 **Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter** **17**

That evening flew into the next dawn. Naruto stayed awake holding Sakura in his arms, which she had fallen asleep. But it wasn't until near morning light that he had actually began to nod off.

Naruto soon dozed, resting his chin on top of Sakura's head which rested just below it on his chest, and not one of them stirred. But what seemed like a few minutes to Naruto's fading conscious had turned into hours, and he suddenly found himself waking up to the sound of knocking on the front door.

Sakura's eyes fluttered open, but she didn't move as everything came into focus and her mind reeled in the memory of what happened the night before and why she was where she was, until she remembered the things Naruto told her and that she had cried her apologies to him. That's when she realized she had fallen asleep in his arms. And he was still shirtless, which brought a blush to her cheeks immediately, and it didn't help that he didn't bother to move either. Feeling the heat of her embarrassment rise to her reddening face, she quickly pushed away from him with both hands on his bare chest and with as much might as she had but without hurting him, although it still knocked a little bit of his breath out and he made a small grunt at it.

"Sorry!", she quickly apologized, and removed her hands from his chest, momentarily ignoring the furious knocking at the door.

"You're fine, your strength just has no boundaries", he said a bit winded as he sat up, but his attention turned to the door as the knocking continued. "You going to get that, or do I have to?", he asked.

Sakura jumped up and sped to the door, undoing the lock, and opening it to find a frantic looking Ino.

"Ino! What-", Sakura proceeded to ask, but her platinum blonde friend spoke the answer before she could finish the question to it.

"It's Shikamaru!", Ino said in her panick.

"What's wrong?", came Naruto's voice as he walked over to the door and stood behind Sakura to her left, hand resting near the top of the door frame.

Ino's eyes widened at the sight of him at first, mostly because of his scars than him being without his shirt on, and she was about to say something about it until her mind reminded her about Shikamaru.

"Lady Tsunade sent us on a mission shortly after you two argued yesterday, and we ran into rogue ninja, looked to be a few of the remaining ninja that are marked with Orochimaru's Curse Seal! Shikamaru's been injured!", Ino replied with a shake of her head and she looked back at Sakura. "And it's pretty bad!", she added.

This earned a look of surprised from both Sakura and Naruto, although Sakura was more shocked that Shikamaru was the one injured given how giftedly smart the Nara is and Ino appeared without a scratch, but for Naruto, his mind was on the culprits Ino had described for it had been a long time since he last heard about survivors that still bore Orochimaru's Curse Seal besides Sasuke.

"Choji is with him now at the hospital", Ino said.

"Well why aren't you Ino-pig?!", Sakura asked. "He's your fiancé isn't he?! You should be there with him! You're a medical nin for God's sake!".

"Because Forehead! I-…", Ino began to yell back, but she stopped as her face saddened and she lowered her voice. "I can't bear to see him…Not like this. He vowed to protect his team after Asuma Sensei died, and he'd put his life down before mine so that I would be ok…But I don't want to lose him", she said as she looked down with tears in her eyes.

Sakura knew just how that felt, Naruto was the same way and he'd do anything to protect her, even if it meant he'd lose his life saving hers, but as sweet as it was she always thought it was a reckless thing to do. And she wouldn't want to lose him like that either, she's already lost him once and is genuinely lucky to have him back, but for who knows how long. She and Naruto exchanged a glance with each other, her face showing worry, his showing concern.

"We'll meet you at the hospital", Sakura said to Ino as they both looked at the platinum blonde, who nodded and quickly walked away back towards the hospital. Sakura closed the door and hastily went up to her room to change into her work clothes while Naruto put his shirt and flak back on.

A few minutes later, both were rushing through the hospital doors and up to the front desk where Sakura showed her medical ID to the receptionist.

"I need to know what room Shikamaru Nara has been taken to!", she demanded, the receptionist nodded at the sight of her ID and quickly looked down at her clipboard of recently admitted patients.

"He is in ICU, room 2B. I will warn you though, it looked pretty gruesome", the receptionist said looking back up at Sakura.

"I've seen worse", she answered in a serious tone, looking at Naruto afterward and then heading to the intensive care unit where Shikamaru was being held, with Naruto following.

When they found his room, they saw not only Choji and Ino, but the rest of the Konoha Eleven which included Neji, Lee, and Tenten who were in the ANBU but were without their usual ANBU attire and masks, and surprisingly Iruka as well. Ino turned to greet Sakura, but no words were said, only nods, and Sakura quickly slipped into the closed room and reclosed the door behind her. Silence fell over Naruto and the others that were waiting.

"Naruto, didn't really get a chance to say anything to you the last time, at Ebisu's funeral", Neji spoke up.

"No need to apologize for it if that's what you're about to do, I wasn't expecting a word", Naruto said in response.

"NARUTO!", a certain bushy-browed man with a bowl cut, big round eyes, and a green onesie suit that completed his appearance to mirror Guy's sprinted towards the Uzumaki, but Naruto knew exactly what he was attempting and didn't feel like getting tackled, so at the last second he flashed away and appeared beside Iruka who was behind Neji and Tenten, and leaned up against the wall with his arms crossed and head turned down.

"Sorry Lee, I'm not really the tackle hugging type anymore", he said, as everyone save for Ino and Choji stared at him wide-eyed, not expecting him to disappear and reappear instantly like that.

"Was that…Lord Fourth's technique?!", Iruka asked, utterly stunned.

"Modified. Lord Fourth could only flash to wherever he had marked his special seal with, I however can flash to anywhere I need or want, depending on the distance and if I'm transporting more than just myself. I try not to use it too much though, Kurama often complains about it making him feel a little dizzy, and the more I use it the dizzier he gets", Naruto explained.

"Who's Kurama?", Kiba asked with a huff and an eye roll, thinking Naruto was just being a show off and only flaunting his abilities to everyone else.

"My bad, I forget you all know him only as the Nine Tails", Naruto chuckled a little. And as if their gazes couldn't get any wider, they all continued to stare at him.

"Wait, so you're like, friends with the fox now?", asked Lee, who looked at the Uzumaki in awe, as he always had.

"More or less I suppose. It's rather a mutual thing, I show him companionship and treat him like my own teammate, and he helps me willingly when I need him", Naruto shrugged.

"Well, it's good to have you back, Naruto. Nice to see you again", someone else spoke up, and this time it was Hinata, which Naruto was a bit surprised at since she didn't stutter and wasn't quiet this time like usual.

"It's nice to see all of you again", Naruto gave a slight smile as that special spark he always held in his eyes flickered only briefly, but they returned to the dull cerulean they had been since long before his return, and his smile faded.

Iruka didn't think what Kakashi had told him about Naruto was serious, he didn't believe the blond knucklehead could be so distant and emotionless, or…Broken. Now he was seeing the truth for himself, and it made him feel quite sad that the bright light his student once held in himself was dimmed to nothing, he had seen Naruto as almost like a son to him. The memories he had of him and Naruto before the blond's departure and four year absence from Konoha flashed back in his mind, seeing the differences between him then and him now.

But everyone's attention including Iruka's was quickly directed to the opening of Shikamaru's room door, and Sakura was the one to step out. Everyone froze when they saw her work shirt was stained with red, Shikamaru's blood, and extreme worry that racked her body. She didn't speak a single word to anyone as she ran down the hallway to a supply closet for more gauze, obviously for making the bleeding stop. She ran back with packages of clean gauze in her hands, but was stopped just before entering the room again by Choji.

"Is he going to be ok?", Choji asked, with Ino awaiting nervously for an answer.

"We're doing all we can", was all Sakura responded with, not wanting to set any panic into anyone about Shikamaru's critical condition, although the blood on her shirt was probably enough of a giveaway about it. She disappeared into the room again and left the door closed.

"What is going on here? Is everything alright?", asked yet another voice, one that didn't belong to any of those that were there in the hall.

"Mrs. Haruno!", Ino looked up and said in surprise.

"It's one of our comrades, he's been injured gravely", Naruto answered Mebuki's questions, which gave Mebuki a bit of a surprise as she didn't see him there at first, but then she looked at Ino.

"I was walking back to my husband's room until I saw the lot of you hanging about and Sakura running frantic like a chicken with its head cut off, so it made me a bit curious", she said. "Aren't you a medical nin as well? Shouldn't you be in there assisting Sakura?", she asked Ino.

"Well…I'm…", Ino didn't know how to answer as the image of the last time she saw Shikamaru before he was taken to a room rose into her mind again and it made her eyes water again as she looked down in shame.

"It's just one of those things- y'know, being unable to see a loved one in such a hellish circumstance after a traumatic event has taken place. We're not too fully aware of Shikamaru's condition yet, and judging by the short answer Sakura just gave us after asking, I'd say it isn't good", Naruto said, defending Ino from having to explain herself, which again caught Mebuki by surprise.

"You didn't mention it was Shikamaru! I heard you and him were engaged…", she said, looking at Ino once again and finally understanding. "I give my highest condolences. I didn't know it was that bad, but I hope all goes well if even the slightest bit. Sakura is a strong healer, she will make sure that boy lives", she added and gave Ino a hug of comfort, then nodded to Naruto, and left to go back to Kizashi.

Silence fell upon them all once again, but Ino looked over at Naruto and nodded her thanks for explaining the situation when she could not, and he nodded once back as a way of saying she's welcome. The platinum blonde looked down with a saddened gaze as he mind drifted to her fiancé and if he was going to live, or not.

" _Shikamaru…_ ", she thought. Choji rested his hand on her shoulder for comfort, sharing her worries for the Nara, and Hinata hobbled over to put her hand on Ino's other shoulder while holding Ino's hand tightly in the other, knowing that if it were Kiba in Shikamaru's place, she'd be just as worried if not devastated. The rest exchanged calm but concerned glances with each other, but none made a peep.

Hours passed by. The morning grew into afternoon, which turned into mid-evening. Those that were waiting before were waiting still, occupying the hallway but moving out of the way when they needed to, and Choji would ask Sakura any chance he could about Shikamaru, but she never gave a definitive answer. However, Naruto could see in her eyes that it was a grim truth, and he felt empathy towards Shikamaru's teammates, remembering it being a tough thing for him to swallow when they first lost Sasuke and he defected from Konoha.

Sasuke!

He had almost forgotten what happened between him and Sasuke the night before! And it just now dawned on him that Sasuke had left visible bruises on Sakura's neck from nearly choking her to death, however with the current events and what was going on with Shikamaru, it seemed not many noticed, or bothered to ask. Now he was on high alert, but stayed calm, so he wouldn't look too obvious. If Sasuke didn't bleed to death, he knew the revenge driven Uchiha would be after him…Maybe it wasn't so safe to be around the others, Sakura especially. But he also couldn't leave without explaining why, and knowing the bitterness most of the Konoha Elven showed towards Sasuke for his doings as a rogue, he knew they wouldn't take too kindly to being told about the fight last night. He would just have to remain on guard from now on, probably longer than he was hoping he'd have to be.

Choji and Kiba had been sent to grab a couple chairs for Ino and Hinata, which the two women now sat in as one comforted the other.

"What if he doesn't make it?! My poor Shikamaru!", Ino cried.

"There there…", Hinata tried comforting her by patting the back of her shoulder softly.

"How could this have happened?! Why did it have to be him?!", Ino cried again.

"It's because he loves you very much", Naruto spoke again, earning a glance from everyone there. "His love is what drives him to protect you no matter the cost, even if it's his life. It's a risky move, foolish even, this I know…Because I would die for Sakura in an instant", he said.

"But why do something so risky? I'm alive aren't I?! It's because of me he's in that room on his death bed!", Ino said loudly in a frustrated tone.

"…But it is also because of him that you are even here to say such things and cry about it", Naruto replied, which to that Ino looked up teary-eyed but with a bit of shock.

She realized he had a point. If it weren't for Shikamaru, she or maybe even Choji probably wouldn't of made it back to Konoha. But she still couldn't truly comprehend, why go and get yourself killed just to protect someone else? She didn't want to lose Shikamaru as much as he didn't want to lose her. She understood how important it was to fight for your comrades as well as with them, and sometimes sacrifices were made by the choice of fate, but not to this extent.

"Y'know, I do believe a certain scarecrow taught my team it's most valuable lesson about camaraderie and following the rules of a ninja. Those that break the rules are scum…But those that abandon their friends in a time of need, are worse than scum", Naruto said with a slight chuckle.

Somewhere else in the village was said scarecrow teacher, who was walking and reading his book of Ichi Ichi Paradise probably for the fifty-millionth time, until he stopped suddenly and lowered his book, standing there stiffly and looking straight ahead. And then he took in a breath swiftly, and out it came as a loud sneeze that just about knocked him off his feet as he bent forward with the momentum of it. He straightened himself up and rubbed his nose with his index finger, over his mask of course.

"Hmm…Someone must be talking about me", he said, looking around briefly, then shrugging to himself and continuing along with his book back up to his eye level as he read on.


	18. Chapter 18: The Forbidden Technique

NOTE: Hey guys! So, I know you've all been waiting patiently for more updates on this story and believe me it's very greatly appreciated, I don't think I can be any more thankful than I already am! Yes life has been a bit busy and tough on me, I've been doing a lot of traveling this Summer, and dealing with my newfound Anxiety. I haven't been professionally diagnosed with it yet, but I recognize the symptoms in myself and how I fit them a little too well, so I don't doubt I have it. Don't worry, I haven't abandoned the story still and I don't plan to, it's just sometimes I get stuck on what to write, even if I know how I want the plot to go. Anyway, because you all have been patient with me I've decided to give you all a little treat and update the story by three chapters! That way you have a little bit more material to read and don't have to wait so long for chapter 19 or 20. I hope you all enjoy them! And as always, good reviews make me happy! Have fun reading!

 **Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter** **18**

It seemed like forever, but in reality it has been only two, long, agonizing hours for those that were still awaiting to hear a definitive answer about Shikamaru's state of condition and if he was going to make it or not, which it was just down to Ino, Choji, Iruka and Naruto now. Kiba took Hinata home to rest, and Neji, Lee, and Tenten had ANBU duties to attend to. So it was down to just the four of them.

Ino had become so impatient that she couldn't sit still in her seat, and would constantly shift herself around as she longed to know if Shikamaru was ok, and all Choji could do was watch her helplessly, since his comforting no more eased her anxiety over the matter. Her eyes were red from her tears and she was visibly shaking, while she stared at the ground with a look of emptiness. Her team already lost Asuma to a couple of Akatsuki members long ago, she didn't want to lose the one teammate that vowed to lead and protect his team in honor of their fallen sensei. Not to mention, she was to marry him in a few months due time.

Iruka still stood next to Naruto, both leaning against the wall that faced Shikamaru's room, arms crossed, heads down, and gazes staring at nothing as they contemplated. Iruka glanced at Naruto from the corner of his eye, and saw his old student had a bit of an angered frown on his face, but those cerulean eyes of his showed nothing. He wondered what Naruto was thinking, but didn't seem to have been noticed by him.

Inside Naruto's head, he and Kurama were speaking between each other about the current situation at hand.

" **It doesn't look good kit, you might lose your comrade** ", Kurama stated, although seeming to point out the obvious at this point, since they were all left in the dark about Shikamaru's chances of survival and therefore left with only the worst of thoughts.

" _I wish there was something we could do, if I was honest with you. Just because I haven't been around these guys for a good while doesn't mean I don't still care, and Ino looks like she's about to reach her breaking point if she hasn't already…_ ", Naruto responded in thought.

" **Well…There is something we could do** ", Kurama spoke up, but hesitantly.

" _Yeah? Like what?_ ", Naruto asked him, curious but doubtful that whatever the fox had to say would prove useful in aiding Shikamaru.

Kurama gave it more thought himself before speaking again. " **…It's risky, but, if I had a strong source of chakra, perhaps I could use mine to accelerate the healing process. He might have a better chance at life if it's successful. But Naruto, the risk to it is you could either succumb to my chakra and lose control, or die** ", the fox said.

" _Die?_ ", asked his blond holder. Naruto wasn't afraid of death, this Kurama learned way back, but he still sounded a bit concerned.

" **Yes, die. The way this would work is it would use my life force, and my chakra's fast healing abilities, through another chakra source, most likely Sakura's or Tsunade's, and it'd be transferred to Shikamaru where it will then heal his injuries as it would heal yours. It won't have any lasting effects on him, other than being alive. But if you remember when you rescued Gaara from the Akatsuki, and Elder Lady Chio used the Life Transer Jutsu to save him, but in the end gave up her own life so that he may live, then this is a similar technique, only…If something goes wrong, it could destroy my life force, and if a Bijuu dies while still within or is extracted from a living Jinchuuriki, then-** ", Kurama explained, but was interrupted by Naruto as he had figured out where the fox was going with it.

" _Then the Jinchuuriki dies as well…I see_ ", Naruto said.

" **Exactly. And the chances of it failing are higher than the chances of it succeeding, which means your chance of dying from it is more likely than not. Our chakras are melded with one another, if it drains all of yours before mine, then you'll die anyway and so will I, as the Bijuu-Jinchuuriki connection goes both ways; if I die while still sealed in you, or I'm extracted from your body, you'll die. But if you die while I'm still sealed within you, then so will I. However, it could also throw off the balance between our two chakras and your body could begin to absorb mine, which would lead to you slipping into your fox state, and it potentially may not be stoppable. Either way, more than one life would be at risk** ", Kurama explained more. He was beginning to regret ever mentioning anything to Naruto, because now that he knows about it, they both could either die tonight or Naruto would go on a rampage that has the possibility of not being able to be reversed. But it wasn't entirely his decision, the most he could do was voice his opinion about it.

" _Damnit…It's never easy is it?_ ", Naruto cursed, frowning more on the outside. But he was brought back to reality as he realized the others were trying to get his attention, and he looked up.

"You were out of the village for so long, can't you do something?", Ino asked in a voice that cracked. But this confused Naruto, he didn't know what she meant, nor did he catch any previous conversation between the others.

"What?", Naruto spoke, giving his head a slight tilt with a questioning look on his face.

"Sakura just came out and told us it wasn't good, her and Lady Hokage are doing all they can but it doesn't seem to be helping much. She tried to be as light about it as she could, but basically she said Shikamaru's gonna die…", Choji said.

Naruto hadn't even noticed Sakura appeared, and he didn't hear anything either except for Kurama speaking to him and his own thoughts. He didn't realize how out of it he might of looked to them.

"She even tried saying something to you, but when you didn't respond she went back into the room without saying anything else", Choji added.

"I can't go in there, I can't bear to see Shikamaru like that, otherwise I'd try helping…", Ino whimpered wrapping her arms around herself as if she were freezing. "But you've been outside the village longer than Sasuke was when he left, you must've learned something about healing?", she said to Naruto.

Although, was she blind? Did any scars he left visible not show to her that besides Kurama's healing abilities, he had nothing of the like? Still, this was their comrade they were talking about, if there was anything he could do it was what he and Kurama discussed, regardless of the risks. He knew he'd do something in a heartbeat, if it were Sakura in Shikamaru's place…

Without second thoughts, Naruto looked up at Ino and Choji, then at Shikamaru's room door. In the blink of an eye he flashed from where he stood beside Iruka to inside the hospital room, to find Tsunade and Sakura frantically working to get the Nara's condition stabilized. He was almost unnoticed until Sakura turned around to grab more gauze and towels, and she saw him.

"Naruto!? What are you-", she began to ask, but Naruto walked forward, looking down at the injured Shikamaru. It was bad, as Ino had said, and he could see just how slim the chances of living were.

" _What have you gotten yourself into?..._ ", he thought, seeing the blood and the wounds, and the paleness of his skin that made Sasuke look tan. "I want to help", Naruto spoke aloud.

"But you don't know medical ninjutsu? How can you help?", Sakura questioned, while still tending to Shikamaru's wounds.

" **Place your hands on theirs, and I'll take care of the rest** ", Naruto heard Kurama tell him, so without answering Sakura he did as he was told and placed his hands on both Sakura's and Tsunade's. He felt the glowing green chakra being drawn into him as Kurama used it as the source he needed to make this work, and not too long after Naruto saw his hands be encased in the all too familiar red chakra of the fox, joining with the chakra of the two medical kunoichi, and flowing into Shikamaru's body.

Both Tsunade and Sakura's eyes widened and they both looked at Naruto, who was concentrated on his task. They began to notice severe changes in the Nara's condition as the healing process was accelerated like Kurama described, and his condition began to stabilize. However, Naruto could feel his own chakra being ebbed away quickly, which made him feel weak. But he fought through it, knowing he needed to if they were going to save Shikamaru's life.

Another thirty minutes and the door to Shikamaru's room flew open, startling everyone that was waiting outside it, and Ino jumped up when she saw it was Sakura.

"Is he going to be ok?!", Ino asked anxiously, and Choji waited behind her for an answer. Even Iruka was curious to hear the news.

"He's ok! He's going to live!", Sakura said joyously, engaging in a hug with her long time frenemy, as Ino cried in relief. "Thanks to Naruto", Sakura added, breaking the hug and looking back at the Uzumaki and soon appeared from the room, who look a little exhausted than before.

"He'll be f-", Naruto was about to say, but Ino had rushed at him and embraced him tightly, which he wasn't expecting. The only thing he was thankful for about it was that she didn't have Sakura's crushing strength.

"Thank you so much! Thank you!", Ino cried to him. "I'd kiss you if I could!", she said, which earned a flaming glare from Sakura, and it made Naruto just slightly amused at how jealous she was.

"Aha, you're welcome", he let out a bit of a chuckle, and Ino let go of him.

"Can we see him?! Please?", the platinum blonde begged Sakura, desperate to see her teammate and future husband.

"He might be a little drowsy, but you can go in", Sakura nodded, and at that Naruto side stepped from the doorway to let Ino and Choji pass, who both went in hastily to see the Nara. Tsunade stepped out to let the three be alone and closed the door behind her.

"Good work you two!", she praised Naruto and Sakura.

"It was Naruto who saved him", Sakura said, eyes gleaming at her favorite blond as she smiled brightly.

"We all did", Naruto nodded as he returned the smile, only not as brightly. Suddenly he felt a wave of dizziness wash over him and everything seemed to spin, making him stumble backward on his feet. He grabbed onto the railing that was on the wall nearest to him and used it for support, eventually sinking to the floor with his back against the wall.

"Naruto!", Sakura dashed to him, kneeling beside him to look him over, worriedly.

"I'm…Fine", Naruto shook his head, and then tilted it back looking up at the ceiling in a daze, jaw clenched.

"Don't make me have to hospitalize you too!", Sakura told him.

"Are you alright Naruto?", Iruka asked as he walked over, concern written on his face.

Tsunade approached and knelt on Naruto's other side, running a hand surrounded by a green glow from his chest to his abdomen, and she could tell his chakra was dangerously depleted from the technique he and Kurama used. "Young fool!", she growled, hitting him over the head, although he didn't react to any pain that would have followed. "That's what you were up to, using _that_ technique!".

"But if I hadn't, Shikamaru would have died, and I couldn't let it happen…", Naruto grunted in response, leaning his head back against the wall as he looked over at the Hokage.

"What technique?", Sakura asked, giving Tsunade a curious glance.

"It's a variation of the Life-Force Transferal technique, and it was invented by the first Jinchuuriki, which the other eight soon learned afterward. It was used during the first Great Ninja World War, but has since then been forbidden. With the Life-Force Transferal technique, the user is able to transfer a life force, whether from another being or themselves, to a receiver to heal their injuries and even bring them back to life. However the user or the being that gave their life force dies after its been completed", Tsunade explained.

"Like what Lady Chio did for Gaara…", Sakura trailed, looking at Naruto.

"The technique Naruto used is similar to that, only the Bijuu inside the Jinchuuriki uses their life force and their chakra to heal a receiver's injuries, which can also lead to resurrection, but the after effects are still the same as well. If the chakra between the Bijuu and the Jinchuuriki is unstable or unbalanced, it can destroy the Bijuu's life force and cause death in both it and its Jinchuuriki, or the Jinchuuriki falls to the control of their Bijuu's chakra. It may also completely drain the Jinchuuriki's chakra that can also cause death in him and his Bijuu. It's a technique that was never perfected and is the riskiest move you've ever made!", Tsunade said.

"Well I'm still here aren't I? Kurama told to use it", Naruto said in a sigh.

" **No I didn't! I merely suggested it!** ", Kurama spoke up in Naruto's thoughts.

" _Shut up!_ ", Naruto retaliated in thought.

" **Brat!** ", Kurama spat at him.

Tsunade let out a long sigh. "Well, it's all said and done now, not much we can do about it anymore. Just get some rest and let your chakra replenish, and I want to see you tomorrow morning", she said, standing up and walking away, disappearing around a corner just down the hall a ways.

"Naruto, did you know about those risks?", Sakura asked him.

"Yes, I did. But if it had been you instead of Shikamaru I would of done it still, even if I did die. Only downside is I'd be taking Kurama down with me but I'd give my life to save yours", Naruto told her, turning his head to look at her.

She wouldn't expect anything less from him, she knew he'd always be willing to put his life on the line to make sure hers isn't, but his words still cut deep and she felt a sting in her eyes as they watered, and she felt choked up. She was glad to have him there, happier than she had been in years to see his face and hear his voice, she wanted to plant a kiss right on his lips while she had the chance but her body wouldn't move.

Naruto had to smile at her, for some reason he couldn't help it this time, he just felt he needed to. He reached up to her face and tucked her bangs back behind her ear with his hand and she smiled back at him, taking his hand in hers and holding it against her cheek.

Iruka smiled down at his two students, seeing glimpses of their younger selves as he watched them. "I'll see you two tomorrow. Take it easy Naruto", he said as he waved goodbye and left, leaving the two alone.

Said students watched their old teacher leave, then looked back at each other again. Naruto looked at Sakura's neck, saw the bruises left by Sasuke and frowned.

"What's wrong?", Sakura asked him as her smile faded too.

"That bastard almost killed you", Naruto spat, voice laced with venom, and hatred to Sakura's surprise.

"…", she didn't say anything, as the memory of the night before came back to her when she was jumped by the Uchiha and nearly murdered. She would have been if Naruto hadn't of shown up in time. She put her hand on her neck and felt the soreness from the present bruises that were left in the shape of four fingers and a thumb. It scared her to know that Sasuke could be that brutal, even more than seeing Naruto in his fox state.

"He's done nothing but treat you wrongly, and frankly I'm starting to get real sick of it!", Naruto said, not looking at her anymore but he still spoke towards her. His fists and teeth were clenched, she'd not see him show this much anger since he got back, save for the night before of course. "I loved you first…", he muttered quietly, not realizing he said it till it was too late to unsay it, and he kind of hoped she didn't catch a word.

"What'd you say?", Sakura asked him, eyes widening a little. She'd heard him clearly despite his wishes, but she had to be sure she didn't imagine it.

He looked back at her and didn't say anything, and he turned his head straight with his gaze up at the ceiling again, inhaling a breath and exhaling it as a sigh. Then he proceeded to stand. This left Sakura a bit dismayed, seeing he wasn't going to answer her question, but instead of egging him on to repeat what he said she decided to help him to his feet, grabbing his arm so he had some support and pulling him upward as she herself stood.

She didn't realize how exhausted she felt until she stood up. She knew she should probably stay there in case something happens with Shikamaru, but she figured that, if anything, Ino had it covered. She knew he was going to survive the rest of the night and into the morning so there wasn't too much to worry about, Naruto and the fox had pretty much healed the injuries almost completely. He was going to be fine.

"Come on, let's go home", she said.


	19. Chapter 19: Shadows

NOTE: Part two of your 3 chapter treat! Enjoy!

 **Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter** **19**

"Come on, let's go home", Sakura said to Naruto, taking his hand to hold it leisurely and the two left the hospital together back to her house. Given the lateness of the hour, the streets were nearly dead, except for a few people.

Naruto was uneasy and tense, with the thought of Sasuke lurking around for them in the back of his mind, he simply couldn't ignore it. He couldn't understand why Sasuke was so bitter about him going after the title of Hokage, the Uchiha knew that's what his teammate had always wanted, even if now it wasn't his dream. Besides that, Sasuke wasn't guaranteed any promises to restore his clan as Hokage, and even then the villagers would still be against him after all he's done in the past; their best prodigy shinobi, and one of the last surviving Uchiha that didn't fall victim to the massacre, turned by hatred and the craving for revenge.

"Hey. You ok?", he heard Sakura ask him, and he turned his gaze to her. She could feel the tension come off him in waves, and sensed something was up, because he was only that tense during serious moments.

"Neither one of us may not be safe if Sasuke's still arou-", Naruto said, but Sakura stopped him.

"Enough, worrying about Sasuke! I get it, you're worried he'll attack us again. It scares me too, but the more you worry about it the more you'll only give in to him!", she said, not angrily but sternly.

"But-", Naruto began to protest, however she stopped him again from speaking by speaking over him.

"'But' nothing, Naruto Uzumaki! I think you ought to listen to me this time when I say not to worry! When you worry, you let your guard down", she told him, again in a stern tone.

He kept his mouth shut this time, she only said his first and last name in the same sentence when she was dead serious, and he learned that long before he left Konoha. He also learned that if he failed or refused to listen to her when she was that serious, he would receive a very unpleasant beatdown from her and he usually disliked it. Best not to poke the sleeping bear.

" **Maybe she's right, the more you worry the less concentrated you are, and you know Sasuke could take any opportunity when you don't have your guard up** ", the fox spoke in Naruto's thoughts.

" _So you're on her side now? It's not Sasuke I'm worried about…_ ", Naruto responded.

" **I'm not on anyone's side, I'm just agreeing. But even if it's her you're worried about, the same moral still applies, if you worry too much then you won't be able to protect her** ", Kurama said.

"… _Y'know? Sometimes, I really hate it when you're right…_ ", Naruto thought, rolling his eyes.

" **Kekeke** ", Kurama chuckled at him with a toothy grin.

They walked the rest of the way to her house in silence, but every now and then Naruto would look over his shoulder or down an alley, making sure Sasuke wasn't there. It wasn't long till they reached her front door, and she went to go put the key in to unlock it, but discovered it had already been unlocked. She froze when she realized there was someone inside.

Naruto noticed this, and had Sakura step aside so he could open the door first just in case it was a threat, and if it was Sasuke then it'd be Naruto he went after, not Sakura. Slowly he pushed the door open and peaked in, seeing a figure sitting on the couch, but let out a sigh of relief when he realized who it was.

"Mrs. Haruno, it's you", he said, and let Sakura inside first, then followed behind her and closed the door.

"Of course it's me! Who else did you think it was?", Mebuki replied, sipping at a cup of herbal tea.

"We thought you might have been Sasuke…", Sakura said. "I forgot I gave mom the spare key so she could come and stay here while dad's in the hospital still", she said towards Naruto. She removed her shoes and her coat, then went over and sat next to Mebuki, picking up a cup of tea herself. There had been three, one for each of them. "Speaking of dad, how's he doing?", she then asked, since she didn't have a chance to check up on him that day.

"Much better! Lady Tsunade says he'll be ready to be released tomorrow!", Mebuki smiled happily, but it quickly fade.

"Mom, what's the matter?", Sakura asked as she frowned at her mother's smile disappearing. Naruto sat down in a recliner and accepted the last cup of tea even though he wasn't much of a tea drinker, and looked on a bit curiously as Sakura conversed with Mebuki.

"Your father and I won't have anywhere else to go, and there isn't a need to burden you with us staying here", Mebuki answered.

"Nonsense! We talked about this didn't we? I offered the two of you to stay with me until you found a new place to live, like an apartment or a small house down the street", Sakura said, setting down her tea and crossing her arms. "You two can stay as long as you need to, I'm sure Naruto doesn't mind sharing the space, right Naruto?", she added, then looked at her favorite blond.

"Not at all", Naruto shook his head to confirm.

"Well, that is very kind of you, but your father and I had a talk and…Well, in a smaller village not too terribly far from here are some relatives of the family, we think it'd be best if we went and stayed with them", Mebuki said.

"Mom, you can't be serious!? You and dad have lived in Konoha for as long as I can remember! It'd be different without you guys here", Sakura said with a surprised look on her face. She had almost lost her parents to the fire, she didn't want to lose them in this way either.

"I've already spoken with Tsunade just before I came here and requested that a messenger hawk be sent to the other village to our relatives, asking that we stay with them. Once your father and I hear back from them, our minds will be made up. It's not too far, you'll be able to visit us from time to time", Mebuki told her daughter, and it seemed like her mind was already set and there was no changing it. Naruto could easily see where Sakura got her stubbornness from.

Sakura didn't say any more, she was a little upset with her mother for wanting to move out of the village, the only home she's ever known, and not being able to see them however often she wished.

"Anyway", Mebuki began speaking again, to break the awkward silence and change the subject. "I'll go ahead and sleep down here tonight", she said, sipping the last of her tea and setting the empty cup down on the tray.

"No mother, you'll sleep upstairs tonight in my bed, I'll sleep down here with Naruto", Sakura said, which was not the kind of response Naruto was expecting from her and he choked a bit on his tea after hearing it, having to set his cup down so he wouldn't spill it during his coughing fit, and pounded on his chest with his fist a couple times.

"Huh?", he said confusedly, once he was able to speak that is.

Sakura chuckled at his reaction. "I'm letting my mom sleep upstairs tonight. It's better than this couch, and honestly I don't want to listen to her moan and complain about her back hurting in the morning", she said, smiling at him.

"Sakura!", Mebuki yelled, being offended by Sakura's remark, and hit her daughter in the arm with a couch pillow. But Sakura only laughed, not flinching too much at the gesture.

"That's not a problem with you, is it Naruto?", the pinkette asked him, although she raised an eyebrow at him as a way of telling him he'll be in trouble if he says yes.

"N-no! No it's just…I wasn't expecting you to say that", he said, scratching the back of his head and trying to find the right words to say. He didn't think Sakura would have him this scared after all he's faced and been through in his four year absence. Then again, it didn't surprise him much, Sakura was pretty scary.

"Good", Sakura chuckled again, satisfied that she had him scared enough to bend him to her will, like she used to.

"Well I'm not going to argue anymore, I'm too tired. If you insist so much then I suppose I'll have to", Mebuki surrendered, standing up. She headed on upstairs to Sakura's room before she was caught in anything else.

Sakura sighed and began to pick up the tea cups, putting them onto the tray to take back to the kitchen, when Naruto jumped up.

"Here, I got it", he said, taking the tray of cups from her and walking to the kitchen. He set it in the sink and ran hot water from the faucet, then began to wash them with soap.

When he didn't return for a couple minutes when it should have taken him only a few seconds, Sakura got up to see what he was up to. She walked into the kitchen and smiled when she saw he was doing the dishes for her.

" _Funny, he never did that at his own place when we were younger. It was always a pigsty!_ ", she thought to herself.

" _Wonder what other new tricks that sexy fox has learned? And I'm not talkin' about the Nine Tails_ ", Inner popped into her head, with a mischievous grin on her face. This made Sakura blush a little on the outside.

" _Stop thinking about THAT! We're not even officially together yet!_ ", Sakura scolded Inner.

" _Oh please! You know you can't resist him! And who could blame you? He's a total hottie! Who ever thought that raven haired bastard was as good-looking?!_ ", Inner laughed at her, but Sakura just ignored it and moved to sit at the kitchen table.

"Maybe we should tell Tsunade about Sasuke?", she suggested to Naruto, who looked at her from over his shoulder. "It might be good if she knew", she added.

"And tell her what? That I drove a sword into the bastard?", Naruto asked as he turned back to look at the dishes he was washing, maybe a bit bitterly, but it wasn't towards her.

"In your defense, he really didn't leave you too much of a choice", Sakura told him.

"But I did have a choice. I could have easily swooped in and rescued you without doing a single thing to him, but instead I chose to fight back and let my rage get the best of me. I didn't have to use his own sword against him but I did anyway. In all honesty, he had a better chance of surviving that than a Rasengan. And it was all because he had gone too far, and he hurt you, almost killed you", Naruto said, gazing down at the dishes as he washed them while he spoke.

"I'm sure Tsunade would understand if we told her the truth? And I can guarantee you Sasuke hasn't said a word to her yet about it, he'd have to find a reasonable explanation as to why you attacked him to keep from having to admit that he attacked first, he may be brave enough to kill just about anyone but he's too cowardly to tell the truth. And Tsunade knows you wouldn't do anything so rash without a good reason, as do I", Sakura said, putting her elbows on the table and leaning her chin on her hands.

Naruto paused, and looked back at her over his shoulder again. "Neither of you know me as well as you think. There's a lot of things you don't know, you didn't see the things I saw, or hear the things I heard, faced the things I faced…", He said a little coldly, turning his head back yet again and looking down at his task of completing the dishes.

Sakura was shocked by his response. She put her hands on the table and sat back in her seat with wide eyes and jaw slightly agape. Who was he to say she didn't know him? After all they'd been through together as a team, and as friends. But maybe he was right? Maybe she didn't know him as well as she thought? She couldn't possibly understand the mental pain he suffered from in his childhood, that much was a fact, but what else could there be that she didn't know about him? She wanted to find out more, but figured he probably wouldn't tell her. He didn't like lying, but he sure was good at keeping secrets. It was her new mission among other things, to find out what she didn't know, and try to understand him better.

"…Then I wish I did…", she mumbled quietly, looking down with her hands in her lap, sadly.

Naruto heard her words, and he paused again, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. He finished up the dishes, dried off his hands, and sighed, knowing that was probably the wrong thing to say, and likely made Sakura feel like less of a friend to him. He turned away from the sink and walked over to her. She looked up at him and he took one of her hands, pulling her to her feet and then wrapped her in a warm hug of comfort, his chin resting on top of her head. She hastily accepted it and wrapped her arms around his torso.

"I'm sorry…", he apologized in a whisper.

"Me too", she said back, burying her face into his chest.

He moved one of his hands to under her chin and lifted her head so that she would be looking into his eyes. "You are, and will always be, everything to me. No matter what", he said, then kissed her on her forehead and hugged her tightly.

She'd never heard him say that to her, at least not directly, although he had always hinted at it when they were younger, asking for dates and to go out with him. Not to mention how protective he always was over her, or how well he treated her compared to Sasuke. She thought he was just an idiot who was crazy about her just because she was beautiful, but the words he just said told her everything about why he loved her, about why he cared, and why he'd die for her in an instant.

She was everything to him.


	20. Chapter 20: Premonition

NOTE: Part three of your 3 chapter treat! I just wanna make a quick apology about the chapters sounding repetitive if they do at all, I've been pulling sleepless nights working on these for you guys, while also stuck on what to write for this chapter so I procrastinated, and have been going on 0 hours of sleep for a bit so I might have been only half conscious while working on these, and I'm sorry for any mistakes. Can't say when next chapter's gonna be up but I hope these last three are satisfying. I just wanted to show you all my appreciation for your patience and sticking with it all this time! What better way than to treat you all to three new chapters instead of just one? Anyway, enjoy reading! And as usual, I welcome good reviews!

 **Legends Live Long, Idiots Die Young**

 **Chapter** **20**

The two stood in the kitchen, locked in a hug for several moments, before Sakura decided to pull away and look into his eyes. His eyes seemed sad and guilty, and dull like they had been since his return. She didn't like seeing him so sad, and she wanted to kiss him to make it better, but again her body refused to move.

" _Why is it so hard to just kiss him?_ ", she thought frustratingly to herself. " _It was all I wanted to do since I figured out that I was in love with him, so why is this so hard?!_ ".

Finally Naruto looked away and closed his eyes, almost as if he was afraid to look at her.

"Naruto…", she said quietly to try and get his attention, but he didn't look at her, so she had to force him by turning his head back towards her so that he would. "I'm here for you if you need me, I'm not going to give up on you. You never gave up on me, and you shouldn't give up on yourself. Not now, not ever", she told him, then smiled sweetly so show she meant it.

He stared her in the eye for a bit, taking in what she was saying, and his eyes lightened up just a little with a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. On the inside, he was happy to hear her say that.

"Let's get some sleep ok? Tsunade wants to see you tomorrow morning, best not be late", she said, and turned away to walk into the living room, leaving him to follow and he did.

They both reached the couch and he laid down on it first on his back, while she turned the lights out and soon joined him, lying on top of him. She used his chest as her pillow and snuggled into him, and he lightly rested an arm over her. She sighed happily feeling safe, breathing in his scent, and feeling the warmth of his body. It didn't take her too long to fall asleep, and with a smile left on her face. He stared up at the ceiling for a little while, thinking. He heaved a deep breath and let it out calmly, and let his eyes close for sleep, also drifting off into his dreams. Everything was silent as they all slept soundly.

However, all was not well inside the dreams of a certain blond Uzumaki…

 _Naruto found himself standing on a field. It looked to be the training field, where he would train with his team in the days they were still together as Team 7. The sky was darkened with storm clouds, and strangely there wasn't any snow. Naruto could feel strong heavy electrical currents in the air, which he only felt when either Sasuke or Kakashi used Chidori while he was nearby enough, such as his and Sasuke's battle at the Valley of the End. He looked around until his spotted Sasuke in the distance, staring at him with pure hatred through Sharingan, and Naruto turned to face him. He wasn't sure what the Uchiha's intent was, but he had a very uneasy feeling._

" _You will never understand my pain!", he heard Sasuke yell, having heard those words before. The Uchiha bastard gripped his left wrist with his right hand and began to charge a Chidori._

 _Naruto was going to take the defensive and counter it with a Rasengan, and he let one form in his right hand, without the help of a clone like he used to need. "Perhaps I do understand! You just don't know it", he said, but he didn't will it, as if someone else was controlling his words._

 _Sasuke began to bolt towards Naruto, with his Chidori, which sounded like one thousand birds to Naruto's ears, readied to drive into the blond. Sasuke's eyes burned with hate and revenge, which seemed to fuel his Sharingan._

 _Naruto charged at him as well, the two quickly drawing closer and closer to each other, until their techniques clashed with one another creating a bright and blinding light. The force of the collision sent them both backward, sliding across the ground on their feet as they both tried to stop themselves._

 _And as if things couldn't get any worse, Naruto heard a familiar voice call his name, he looked to his right and saw Sakura approaching, and she stopped in front of him just a few feet away._

" _If you're going to take away my chance to restore my Clan, then I'll take away the one you love…", he heard Sasuke say sinisterly._

 _Before Naruto could react, Sasuke went after Sakura with another Chidori, and pierced her through the chest with it. Blood poured from her wound, and trickled down her chin. Her face was frozen with stunned fear, and then her body fell limp to the ground at Sasuke's feet._

 _Naruto could feel his heart pounding a mile a minute, eyes wide as he watched his only love die by Sasuke's hand. He trembled, both with shock and anger, and his knees gave out on him as he fell to them. He looked up at Sasuke who smiled wickedly in a dark manner, and the Uchiha disappeared. Naruto got up and quickly sprinted to Sakura, feeling the fox's chakra take him over as he slipped into a feeling of rage. He hadn't felt this much emotion since before he left Konoha. He lifted Sakura's limp body in his hands, hoping she'd wake up alive, but saw no signs of life._

" _No…NO!", he began to shout, hugging Sakura as tightly as he could while his body still trembled, and tears were streaming down his face in a mad fit._

" _SAKURAAAAAAAA!", he screamed to the sky, eyes red slits like the fox, canine teeth sharpened as the possession took hold…_

His scream lingered in his ears as the blond jolted awake from his nightmare, and he quickly sat up, eyes wide as sweat dripped down his forehead, and he breathed heavily as If he had been running. He looked terrified.

It didn't take Naruto long to realize that Sakura was missing, as he remembered falling asleep with her on the couch. He looked up as fearful realization hit him hard, and he stood to his feet swiftly, making a dash for the kitchen as the first place to look.

Sakura heard a bit of commotion going on in the living room, and through her crystal she suddenly felt waves of dread, her mind quickly turned to concern for Naruto. She made her way over to the doorway the connects the kitchen with the hallway between it and the living room.

"Naruto? Are you o-", she began to ask, but a sudden force crashed into her, stopping her mid-sentence and sending her to the floor, with Naruto landing on top.

The Uzumaki looked down into the confused jade eyes of the Haruno, a little surprised to see her.

"Is everything alright?", Sakura asked him, which reeled his mind back and he realized he was pinning her down. So he moved to let her up, but sat with his back to the wall as he tried to process everything that happened, and didn't give Sakura an answer which left her worried. "Naruto? What's wrong?", she continued to ask.

"I'm f- I'm fine! I'm fine…It was…Just a dream", he said, trying to slow his breathing down and calm himself, seeing that Sakura was alive and well…Unless this was a dream too.

"You don't look fine", Sakura commented, growing more worried. She took his hand and helped him to his feet, leading him into the kitchen to sit him down at the table. She went over to the stove and poured him a cup of tea she had prepared and handed it to him, which he took in shaking hands.

"This isn't like you", she said, but then realized that if he had been the same when he returned as when he left, and not like this emotionless stranger, this would have been a normal reaction. However, with the way he's been acting since he got back, it was an abnormal thing. "Are you sure everything's fine?", as asked as she sat down next to him, placing her hands on his to get him to set the cup down so she could hold them to comfort him.

Naruto looked up from the cup to Sakura and met her gaze, getting lost in the seas of green within her eyes, which calmed him. He shook his head a little and swallowed, blinking to break away from her gaze.

"I'm ok, it was just a dream that really…Scared me", he admitted, and gave her hands a slight squeeze as images from it replayed in his mind.

"And what was it about that scared you?", she asked him, tilting her head a little, still worried.

"I...", he thought for a moment. He remembered about her having a nightmare and that she wouldn't tell him what it was, and still hasn't yet. He thought it might have been due to trust, and she didn't trust either him or herself to tell him. If he told her, then it would show her that he trusts her and himself. But if he didn't, then it'd only be like throwing a ball back and forth and hoping the other actually catches it and throws it back. "Well…I saw Sasuke kill you…With Chidori. And I couldn't save you, I wasn't quick enough…", he spoke up after a moment of thinking.

Sakura listened to him closely, taking in his words as he explained to her about his nightmare. She began thinking of the right words to say back, when in her head she was a little frightened by the thought. "Maybe you're just too worked up over Sasuke? I know he's serious about becoming Hokage before you, but you can't let him intimidate you. Remember what I said last night? If you worry too much then you won't be able to win", she said, keeping a firm hold on his hands.

Naruto was afraid she'd be scared if he told her, but she didn't seem to be showing it, even though he could feel it, and see it in her eyes. Still, he felt a little better by telling her, at least he had her to confide in.

"But I'm glad you told me", Sakura said as she got up and hugged him. "You used to tell me almost everything. I miss that y'know?", she added, using his casual 'y'know' saying back at him, which he chuckled lightly at.

He still wondered what her nightmare could have been about that scared her so much, but he didn't want to poke at it too much, he didn't want to anger her. He would wait for the right time, because he knew Sakura would tell him when she wanted to. "To be honest, I missed it too", he said as he embraced her in his own hug.

Sakura looked up at the clock on her wall and saw the time. 9:00 AM. If he didn't hurry, he would get an earful from Tsunade. "You better get goin', Tsunade's gonna be mad at you if you don't. She did say she wanted to see you early morning", she told him, while running her fingers through his soft but wild hair.

"I suppose you're right", Naruto said, waiting a minute before breaking from their hug. He stood up and readied to leave.

"I'll go with you", Sakura said.

"You sure? What about your mother?", Naruto asked her.

"She left early this morning to go see dad. He's supposed to be getting released today so we might see them later this afternoon", she told him. "Besides, I want to stop and see how Shikamaru's doing today. And I'm sure he'd be grateful to see you".

"Why me? It's not like I did anything special", Naruto shrugged, which earned him a light punch on the arm from Sakura.

"Don't say that! You saved his life, if it wasn't for you then we might as well be planning his funeral services!", she said to him.

"Point taken", he chuckled a little.

They left her house, although Naruto was as uneasy as he was the night before when they were walking home, looking over his shoulder for Sasuke. After that dream, he was sure to protect her. They both walked to Tsunade's office quickly, not wanting to waste any more time or risk angering the Hokage. Once they got there, Sakura knocked on the office doors respectfully and awaited for permission to enter.

"Come in", she heard Tsunade said, and she opened the door to go inside followed by Naruto.

"We're here Lady Tsunade", Sakura said, bowing her head.

"I was beginning to wonder when you'd show up", Tsunade said, looking through paperwork before setting the pile of papers aside on her desk to get to them. Anything had to be better than paperwork.

"What was it you wanted to see me about Tsunade?", Naruto asked.

"It's probably about time we start discussing the matters of that test we agreed on, that will earn you your automatic four years of ANBU training and experience, and put you ahead of Sasuke in the rise to Hokage", Tsunade explained, folding her hands in front of her face and leaning forward.

"Alright. When?", Naruto nodded, keeping a serious expression, even though it was normal for him now.

"I'd say it's best to do it as soon as possible. The sooner the better. Sasuke's getting anxious, and quite honestly Naruto, I'd prefer to choose you as my successor", Tsunade said.

"So then why can't you Tsunade?", Sakura asked.

"As I already explained to Naruto, if I could then I would, but if I played by the rules of the counsel then I'd have to put him through the same ANBU training as Sasuke for as long as a year. And given Sasuke is already ahead, he'd be eligible before Naruto even finishes. As it is already, you're required one year of ANBU training to be an eligible candidate", said the Hokage.

"But, can't you wait for Naruto to finish? And then choose?", Sakura continued to question.

"It's not that easy. When one either applies for or is chosen by the current Hokage to become the next Hokage, their name is sent in to the counsel for approval. Despite Sasuke's past doings and crimes, he was approved, somehow. And if the candidate is not my chosen one, then I'd have to give them the title if they meet the requirements, otherwise I'd have all rights over whether or not they've earned it. I may have chosen Naruto, but it just won't work that way, since Sasuke was first", Tsunade explained.

"So then this test…It'll give Naruto the lead?", yet again, Sakura asked.

"It's an old test we used to give our Shinobi, as a way of approving them for ANBU training, long long ago. Mostly for those like Shikamaru who were talented enough to ascend the ranks faster than normal. But it was later discouraged and then forbidden, since it was proven unreliable, and we were sending un prepared shinobi to their deaths because of it", Tsunade said. "But yes. If Naruto is given the test and he passes, I'll be able to use his results to rate his ANBU class, which should amount to four years worth as he said he's trained for", she added.

"How soon are we talkin'?", Naruto asked this time.

"Tomorrow. I know I promised you missions with Kakashi and Yamato as a team again, but Sasuke's year will end in the next season. We can't wait too long", Tsunade said, leaning back in her chair.

"Done", Naruto nodded once in agreement. Sakura looked at him curiously, he seemed to be getting anxious too about becoming Hokage, and she didn't know if it was because he actually wanted the title like in the past, or if he just wanted to beat Sasuke to it. Whatever his reason was, she was glad it was a point of focus for him.

"Excellent!", Tsunade stood up from her chair. "I'll meet you two at the gates of the Forest of Death early tomorrow morning!", she said.

"How early?", Sakura asked.

"7 AM sharp!", Tsunade answered, and held out a hand to shake Naruto's so that they may seal the deal, and he shook it.

The two left Tsunade's office and the Hokage went back to her boring paperwork. Naruto and Sakura made their way to the hospital to see Shikamaru. When they arrived, they were directed to his room, which he had been moved to a different one than before, and it didn't take Sakura long to find it. She and Naruto entered the room quietly, only to find Shikamaru had other company; the rest of the Rookie Nine, except for Sasuke of course.

"Naruto! Sakura!", Ino greeted upon seeing them, obviously a bit more cheerful than she was yesterday.

"About time you two arrived! We were starting to think you guys weren't gonna come by!", Kiba sneered, crossing his arms over his chest, and Akamaru gave a bark.

"Shut up Kiba! Shouldn't you be with Hinata?", Sakura told him, half bitterly.

"She chose to stay home today, she didn't sleep much last night…And, she's been kinda on the moody side lately", Kiba answered sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

Naruto chuckled lightly at Kiba, crossing his arms too, and then rolling his eyes before turning his gaze to look towards Shikamaru, the figure lying in the hospital bed, who was awake.

"Good to see you made it", Naruto said.

"I'm happy to say the same", Shikamaru answered in a weak voice and a small smile. "And I thank you, for saving my life", he said.

"Heh, word's gotten around that quickly huh?", Naruto gave a shrug.

"Ino told me the whole thing", Shikamaru chuckled a little.

"Just as I thought. Can't tell the pig anything without her bladding it to the whole world!", Sakura remarked in a teasing way.

"So then bite me Forehead!", Ino snapped back. "I have a right to tell my future hubby anything I want!".

At that, the room broke into laughter, and even Naruto laughed a little. Sakura couldn't help but notice it and smiled about it, it wasn't his full laugh but she still heard it in what little laughing he did, and it made her heart happy. His laugh was one of the things she had missed.

" _It looks like you're starting to turn around…Naruto_ ", she thought.


End file.
